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Archive for March, 2008

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Obama’s Big Oil Ad

I only took two courses in Economics in college – so I am no authority. But my 9 year old grandson understands the value of a nickel, some economic concepts are just plain old common sense. Barack Obama has a new television advertisement challenging the profits of Big Oil. My notion is that the advertisement […]

29Mar2008 | | Comments Off on Obama’s Big Oil Ad | Continued
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Does God need Government Welfare?

I may not write well, but I know how to read. And I like to read the Washington Post section On Faith. The advent of evangelicals calling for a return to the moral values of the founding fathers is to be commended. I completely agree. Steve Waldman is “co-founder, CEO, and Editor-in-Chief of Beliefnet.com, and […]

28Mar2008 | | Comments Off on Does God need Government Welfare? | Continued
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This Time – The Tide is Turning

This time, this election, we must bridge the chasm of race, gender, politics – liberal and conservative, religion – fundamental, evangelical, literal, figurative, Christian or Islam. Real leadership is nuanced. It is not black and white. It is not rooted in the winning and losing mentality of pure capitalism. I believe it was Henry Ford […]

27Mar2008 | | 2 comments | Continued
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Why Hillary Will Never Be President…

The level of ugly in the Democratic primary is reaching unbearable heights. In a time of excitement and hope for what this election cycle means, there is a collective sigh coming from the population over the way that the primaries are playing out. This weekend Bill Richardson drove another nail into the Clinton political coffin. […]

24Mar2008 | | 3 comments | Continued
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Woody Allen parodies Hillary

Woody Allen may be the best writer of parody – probably better than Jon Stewart or Steven Colbert. In this clip he is struggling with understanding lost love. The desperation of compromise, of willingness to assume any posture, struck me as quite similar to the methods of the Hillary Clinton campaign. Senator Clinton cannot believe […]

21Mar2008 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Rev. Wright’s Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Here we go again.  An angry man, whether justified or not, pokes a stick in the eye of the object of his anger.  Then he wonders why the object of his anger does not like him.  Barack Obama says, let us have a healthy dialogue.  Well, get the stick out of my eye and maybe […]

20Mar2008 | | Comments Off on Rev. Wright’s Self-Fulfilling Prophecy | Continued
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Political Bracketology by Pundits

We are coming out of the political semi-finals.  The Old Man beat the Evangelical.  Now the Old man is poised to face off with the winner of the Black Man versus White Woman contest. Are these useful characterizations?   Personally, I don’t think so.  But if we listen to the 24/7 cable news channels we […]

20Mar2008 | | Comments Off on Political Bracketology by Pundits | Continued
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A Personal Experience with Prejudice

The winter of 1963-64 was a rough one. I was in the eighth grade. John F. Kennedy had just been assassinated. My school was becoming integrated (the authorities sent one African American boy to our school and called it good enough). It was code (sic) outside. And my teachers did not like me. (At least, […]

20Mar2008 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Hillary’s Dignity Tank Is On Empty

John McCain is a sharp politician. Many people have criticized his decisions, his shifting allegances, and his fence-sitting positions in this primary. But he is winning. He has a lot of exerience winning and he has enough foresight to know that he has to make some smooth moves and some hard decisions to unite the […]

20Mar2008 | | Comments Off on Hillary’s Dignity Tank Is On Empty | Continued
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Obama’s Speech on Race, Video and Text

Thanks to the Huffington Post for distributing this profound message. [wp_youtube]pWe7wTVbLUU[/wp_youtube] “We the people, in order to form a more perfect union.” Two hundred and twenty one years ago, in a hall that still stands across the street, a group of men gathered and, with these simple words, launched America’s improbable experiment in democracy. Farmers […]

20Mar2008 | | Comments Off on Obama’s Speech on Race, Video and Text | Continued
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Big Oil holds Delta hostage

The oil industry is holding all of us hostage. Delta Air Lines is a recent example. The Associated Press reports Delta is offering ‘…voluntary severance payouts to roughly 30,000 employees…’ Delta hopes to cut 2,000 jobs. Why? Let’s define a scenario that makes our math easier to understand. For the sake of argument, let’s say […]

19Mar2008 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Reporting on Reverend Wright – and Getting it Wrong

It is difficult to grapple with the complexities of faith and politics, and it is disheartening when the two meet like runaway trains in the night while the media circles above like a vulture. Our society is increasingly weary of the cult style theology of the conservative Christian political movement, and rightfully so. I find […]

18Mar2008 | | 5 comments | Continued
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Horton Hears A…What?

Dad, As with many issues today, there is conflict over the meaning of a story. Pro-Life activists are using the words of the late Theodore Geisel, Dr. Seuss, to promote their social and political agenda. It is entirely likely that the author was furthuring his own social and political views when he wrote the book, […]

17Mar2008 | | Comments Off on Horton Hears A…What? | Continued
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Defending Islam, defining faith

Sally Quinn serves the world community by offering intelligent insight with The Washington Post’s ‘On Faith.’ In this video she interviews Salman Ahmad. There is a great observation about the difference in defending a faith and defining a faith. There are many Christians who could learn from the Islamic experience.

16Mar2008 | | Comments Off on Defending Islam, defining faith | Continued
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5 things to do with your stimulus check

Dad, We are in the midst of an economic stimulus program that promises to deliver some pretty big checks to American consumers. This program, however, is not going to be a fix, it is going to be a band-aid. The problems that we aer having are not founded in a lack of spending by our […]

13Mar2008 | | 3 comments | Continued
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Politicians dancing with Olberman

Live video entertainment is infecting the ranks of politicians. What are they to do? President Bush seems to enjoy a little frivolity – that may be an understatement. Barack Obama risks the rhythm of race. Hillary is careful singing – and she should be. The ability to speak eloquently is a given in today’s media […]

13Mar2008 | | Comments Off on Politicians dancing with Olberman | Continued
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Bible Questions

Son, I found an old news paper advertisement for a non-denominational church. The paper is yellowed with age and I suspect it is many years old. The advertisement listed 14 ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions. The purpose of the advertisement was to generate interest in the particular church. Their method was to show their theological teachings […]

13Mar2008 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Olberman’s Elloquence – on Clinton and Ferraro

Keith Olberman is a two sport journalist. He works the circuit at ESPN has increasing popularity o MSNBC. Olberman has directed his intellect and wit at the atrocious behavior of the Hillary Clinton campaign. This journalism is refreshing. Olberman demonstrates the ability to report, analyze, and clarify important issues. This video clip show Olberman at […]

13Mar2008 | | Comments Off on Olberman’s Elloquence – on Clinton and Ferraro | Continued
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The Bottom Billion – a Hungry World

Son, Shocked, but not surprised.  That is often the reaction of intelligent people when bad things happen.  A very bad thing is happening on our planet.  Poverty and hunger have become so devastating that the statisticians now refer to a segment of the human population as ‘the bottom billion.’ We are talking about people who […]

12Mar2008 | | Comments Off on The Bottom Billion – a Hungry World | Continued
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Salem Witch Hunt – Ultimate Water Boarding

Son, The use of water boarding by the United States Government to ferret out ‘terrorists’ reminds me of the witch hunts of 1692 in Massachusetts.  One of those dark moments in American history.  It is a catch 22 for the person being tortured.  Tell us what we want to hear or risk drowning – does […]

10Mar2008 | | 5 comments | Continued
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The Florida Michigan Vote Solution

Son, I am almost amused at the political posturing by party political party leaders in Florida and Michigan. Charlie Christ, the Governor of Florida, is particularly outspoken. These folks don’t do anything that does not have some political advantage. This 2008 election process has not gone according to anyone’s plan and everyone is posturing after-the-fact. […]

7Mar2008 | | 1 comment | Continued
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The mythical nature of a child’s diet

I spent the weekend with fifth and sith grade students on a confirmation retreat. I enjoyed our time together, and we had many good conversations about life and faith. One of the conversations, however, was unexpected and revealed a great deal about the way that our children are learning about nutrition. We were at the […]

6Mar2008 | | 2 comments | Continued
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Declaration of Independence – 2008

Declaration of Independence 2008 (All comments in italics are direct quotes from the United States Declaration of Independence penned in 1776) “When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the […]

4Mar2008 | | 5 comments | Continued
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Internet costs and Power Companies.

Son, I am confused again. The world changes faster than I can keep up. This article is being written to an internet site that offers distribution to the world wide web. We don’t charge anything for people to come here and browse around. But someone does. I am trying to understand the complexity of costs […]

4Mar2008 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Websites that give to others

Son, The internet is being skillfully used by several organizations to promote giving to others. Check these out. http://www.freerice.com – I enjoyed this site. I went there investigating and found myself participating. Rice is donated through the United Nations World Food Program for every click on their site. thehungersite.com – equally important but a little […]

2Mar2008 | | 1 comment | Continued
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SNL opens with Hillary Clinton

Saturday Night Live is back after the writer’s strike. What might have been trough this primary season we can only imagine – but the show is in full swing and Hillary Clinton opened the show last night…. Enjoy..

2Mar2008 | | Comments Off on SNL opens with Hillary Clinton | Continued
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Raymond Crowe does Louis Armstrong

Raymond Crowe is a shadow puppeteer from Australia. The idea seems trite – but trite in the hands of a master changes perspective. This shadowy rendition of Louis Armstrong is perfectly executed. Performed on David Letterman, Crowe demonstrates artistic integrity with light and shadow. Enjoy the video.

2Mar2008 | | Comments Off on Raymond Crowe does Louis Armstrong | Continued
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American Gangster – Afghanistan

Son, The movie “American Gangster’ is based on a true story. The story of heroin being imported into this country from Southeast Asia. The mode of transportation was primarily aboard United States Military aircraft. This was not sanctioned in any way by the U. S. Government – but by individuals in the military serving in […]

1Mar2008 | | Comments Off on American Gangster – Afghanistan | Continued
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Rick Warren with Sally Quinn

Son, Sally Quinn, with the Washington Post, does the world a great service by promoting sane spirituality. We should be grateful:

1Mar2008 | | Comments Off on Rick Warren with Sally Quinn | Continued
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Deepak Chopra, holy and healing

Son, “There is only God and nothing else,” Deepak Chopra. This wonderful man has true inspiration, in intellect, spirituality, and emotion…. The Washington Post, probably my favorite internet site, offers regular videos on spirituality – here is an interview with Deepak Chopra:

1Mar2008 | | Comments Off on Deepak Chopra, holy and healing | Continued
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Politics and Laws of Association

The laws of association are very simple: If ‘a’ = ‘b’ and ‘b’ = ‘c’, then ‘a’ = ‘c’. Translated into politics: If John Hagee is a radical hate monger, and Osama Bin Laden is a radical hate monger, then John Hagee and Osama Bin Laden are the same creature. If John McCain is ‘very […]

1Mar2008 | | Comments Off on Politics and Laws of Association | Continued