Well, it seems that Italian reporter Giuliana Sgrena wasn't telling the truth when she claimed that the car she was riding in was "fired on for no reason" by American soldiers at a roadside checkpoint. Imagine that...a self-avowed Communist reporter not telling the truth? Gotta love that US technology!

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 09:28 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Despite the effort of the MSM to try to create a rift among American Catholics and the Vatican with the election of a conservative Pope, it seems that American Catholics aren't going along with the spin doctors.

As I've said before, the Church is the Church, it has rules; if you don't like them, LEAVE. I have crossed some of the precepts of the Church myself, and thus am not eligible for full participation in all the Sacrements by the rules of the Church. Thats fine with me. I would not expect the Church to bend it's rules just to accomodate my situation. I knew the consequences of my actions, and accepted them as the cost of my actions. I still consider myself a Catholic, although I do not practice as I could or should. I am raising my daughter to believe in the precepts of the Church. I believe that the College of Cardinals made the best choice possible in electing Pope Benedict XVl. I pray that he does what is right for the Church, keeping it a bastion of certainty in a world that espouses an all too fluid ethos, and relatavistic morality.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 05:15 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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I know I haven't posted much in the last couple of days, but things are a little frazzled around here, had the hot wter go somewhere to parts unknown...the water heater is working, but the water just isn't getting to the taps. My brother has needed a little extra help, he's still a little sore from the Cath, and his wife is restricted in her activities because of her back.

My older daughter took us out to my favorite gourmet Chinese buffet as her birthday present to me. Her mother, grandmother, Anna and Mamamontezz, and I had a great time there. Grandma was exposed to foods that she never knew existed, and it was really amusing to see the look on her face when she came back to the table to se Anna already digging in to a pile of oysters on the half shell and boiled Crawdads!

Hopefully, we'll go to my In-laws tomorrow after Anna gets home from school and have a little cake and ice cream there.

It's my birthday tomorrow, and I don't know if I'll be posting anything or not, but Tuesday, I'm sure I'll get the urge. Maybe it will even be something worth reading!

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 01:38 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Your asleep late at night, and the phone rings...it's your son who is stationed in Iraq, just calling to let you know he's ok, and btw, would you talk to a friend of mine?

Then you hear a strangers voice thanking you for what your son and his compatriots have done for his country. What else is there to say? It seems that the subjects of "American Imperialism" (as the leftside moonbats try to frame it) really do know just what an opportunity has been given them through the blood and sacrifices of our military brethren, and are grateful....too bad the moonbats at home don't feel the same way towards those that defend their freedom to blather.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 06:36 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Well, had to go to a cardiac care unit today, but this time I wasn't the guest of honor.

It seems that my brothers GP thought that he was on the verge of a major cardiac incident and wanted to get him catherized and stented to forstall any real problems...He also was afraid that due to his MS, he would need major surgury to provide his heart some extra support, it seemed that the heart muscle was "sagging" due to nerve damage contingent to the MS and severe diabetes.

They were an hour late getting him into the Cath lab, and the procedure took about 15 minutes longer than usual. But the result was better than any of us had expected; the cath showed that he only had a 10% blockage in one artery and 12% blockage in another, minor vessel, and it could be easily handled with drug therapy; the heart was in great shape, considering his other maladies, and wouldn't require any furthur procedures in the forseseeable future; so someone was listening and answered our prayers.

The GP had been incorrect on his diagnosis, and for once it was in my brothers favor, instead of against him. He still has a difficult time ahead of him with progressivly wasting muscles (5'10" and 120 lbs!!!) and degenerating nerves (he now requires a power chair for him to go any distances without falling), but he is looking ahead with hope; and least he's assured that his heart will carry him through the trying times ahead.

He will die from the cumlative side effects of the progression of the MS and diabetes, probably within the next five years, maximum...but he intends to live that time given him with all the zest he can, and isn't that the best that any of us can do? Whenever I feel low about my own condition, all I have to do is look to my brother and realize just how lucky I am, and that life truly IS worth living to the highest level we can achive.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 03:28 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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The man hasn't even been Pope for a full afternoon yet, and already the hyenas are gathering to try to bring him down.

The Daily Kos has a suprisingly mild post, at least he isn't jumping on the "Nazi" bandwagon. He's still disparaging, but what else would you expect from Kos?

Andrew Sullivan, predictably, doesn't have anything good to say, other than:
"His theology is indeed distinguished, if somewhat esoteric and at times a little odd."
As always Andrew has to bring his sexual agenda into the mix:
"..the marginalization of homosexuals (he once argued that violence against them was predictable if they kept pushing for rights), the impermissibility of any sexual act that does not involve the depositing of semen in a fertile uterus..."

Of course, if you want to see REAL hate against anything remotely non-Moonbat,
there is always the Democratic Underground. At least they're consistent in their hate as well as their ignorance.

And let's not forget the MSM: Reuters, The NYT's, and the AP

I'm sure there will many more stories and allegations in the days to come, until the next item of outrage for the Progressive grist mill takes over.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 10:40 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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The Conclave of Cardinals has made it's decision, and Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger will now be known as Pope Benedict XVl.

May the new Holy Father be granted the wisdom to fullfill his duties. He has a shining light to follow in his predecessor. He must, and will forge his own path, but it never hurts to have a guide as good as John Paul ll.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 07:28 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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While reading a gun web site, Cruffler.com, recommended by a friend, I came across an essay written in 2002 by Julia Gorin. I feel that many of the insights that Ms. Gorin wrote about in this article are shown to be true in the intervening period. I have reprinted it here in it's entirety with her permission. Read it with an open mind and really think about the attempts of the GFW crowd to put ever increasing pressure against the average citizens exercise of their 2nd Amendment rights in the last three years and I think you will agree with me that Ms. Gorin was correct in her assessment of at least the male component of the GFW crowd. So without further blathering on my part, Read the essay and, Please, let me know what YOU think.

*************************************************

Let's be honest. He's scared of the thing. That's understandable--so am I. But as a girl I have the luxury of being able to admit it. I don't have to masquerade squeamishness as grand principle--in the interest of mankind, no less.

A man does. He has to say things like "One Taniqua Hall is one too many," as a New York radio talk show host did in referring to the 9-year old New York girl who was accidentally shot last year by her 12-year old cousin playing with his uncle's gun.

But the truth is he desperately needs Taniqua Hall, just like he needs as many Columbines and Santees as can be mustered, until they spell an end to the Second Amendment. And not for the benefit of the masses, but for the benefit of his self-esteem.

He often accuses men with guns of "compensating for something." The truth is quite the reverse. After all, how is he supposed to feel knowing there are men out there who aren't intimidated by the big bad inanimate villain? How is he to feel in the face of adolescent boys who have used the family gun effectively to defend the family from an armed intruder? So if he can't touch a gun, he doesn't want other men to be able to either. And to achieve his ends, he'll use the only weapon he knows how to manipulate: the law.

Of course, sexual and psychological insecurities don't account for all men who are against guns. Certainly there must be some whose motives are genuine, who perhaps do care so much as to tirelessly look for policy solutions to teenage vacuousness and aggression, and to parent and teacher negligence. But for a potentially large underlying contributor, psycho-sexual inadequacy has gone unexplored and unacknowledged. It's one thing to not be comfortable with a firearm and therefore opt to not keep or bear one. But it's another to impose the same handicap onto others.

People are suspicious of what they do not know--and not only does this man not know how to use a gun, he doesn't know the men who do or the people who have defended themselves from injury or death just by brandishing a gun. But he is better left in the dark; his life is hard enough knowing there are men out there who don't sit cross-legged. That they're also able to handle a firearm instead of being handled by it would be too much to bear for the anti-gun male.

Such a man is also best kept huddled in urban centers, where he feels safer than he might on his own in a rural setting, in an isolated house on a quiet street where he would feel naked and helpless. Lacking the confidence that would permit him to be sequestered in sparseness, and lacking a gun, he finds comfort in the cloister of crowds.

The very ownership of a gun for defense of home and family implies some assertiveness and a certain self-reliance. But if our man kept a gun in the house, and an intruder broke in and started attacking his wife in front of him, he wouldn't be able to later say, "He had a knife--there was nothing I could do!" Passively watching in horror while already trying to make peace with the violent act, scheduling a therapy session and forgiving the perpetrator before the attack is even finished wouldn't be the option it otherwise is.

No. Better to emasculate all men. Because let's face it: He's a lover, not a fighter. And he doesn't want to get shot in case he sleeps with your wife.

Of course, it wouldn't be completely honest to not admit that owning a firearm carries with it some risk to unintended targets. That's the tradeoff with a gun: The right to defend one's life and way of life isn't without peril to oneself. And the last thing this man wants to do is risk his life--even if to save it. For he is guided by a dread fear for his life, and has more confidence in almost anyone else's ability to protect him than his own, preferring to place himself at the mercy of the villain or in the sporadically competent hands of authorities (his line of defense consisting of locks, alarm systems, reasoning with the attacker, calling the police or, should fighting back occur to him, thrashing a heavy vase).

In short, he is a man begging for subjugation. He longs for its promise of equality in helplessness. Because only when that strange, independent alpha breed of male is helpless along with him will he feel adequate. Indeed, his freedom lies in this other man's containment.

###################################################

Julia Gorin is a 32 year old writer, commentator and stand-up comedienne who lives with her husband and pit bull in New York City. Born in the former Soviet Union, Julia emigrated to the United States as a toddler. She grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and moved to New York thirteen years ago with dreams of fame, fortune and stardom. Educated at the City University of New York's Hunter College, Julia has written opinion pieces for the Washington Times, LA Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Christian Science Monitor. While not a dyed in the wool firearms aficionado, Julia is a firm believer in the Constitution of the United States - and that includes the Second Amendment.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 11:12 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I was listening to the Sean Hannity radio show while on my way to the pet shop to pick up some much needed supplies when I heard an interview he had with a young man named Farrah Gray.

Mr. Gray is a multimillionaire and has just written a book called "Reallionaire", "Nine Steps to Becoming Rich from the Inside Out", which chronicles his journey in life so far.

Mr. Gray has his own foundation that tries to contribute to literacy programs for children. He is quite an advocate for education, and for private funding to help promote programs that truly help those on the lowest end of the economic ladder.

If I left it at that, I feel certain that one of my Left Side readers would make a comment such as " it's good to see the wealthy help the poor; after all, THEY had all the advantages growing up and they SHOULD try to do something to help those that don't".

Thats the most inspiring part of Mr. Gray's story.

He grew up on Chicago's South Side, in one of the mryiad housing projects. His family was on Public Assistance, and even with that help, they were still so poor that they couldn't afford furniture.

If you listen to the Left, that means that Mr. Gray's only options were to either become a basketball star, or a drug dealer, if he was ever to escape the bonds of poverty. After all, he went to a substandard school, his mother had seven children to take care of, while working three jobs to support them, and of course, being black, "The(racist)System" would NEVER let him have any opportunity to succeed.

Well Mr. Gray proved that with the right attitude, hard work, and a little luck, ANYONE can get rich in America. He started out handing out homemade business cards from his lunch box "brief case" when he was 6, proclaiming himself to be the next "CEO of the 21st Century". He didn't even know what CEO meant, other than it was a business term. By the time he was 14, he had made his first million, and had an office on Wall Street; a venture capitol enterprise geared towards helping other young people try to make THEIR dreams of owning their own business come true.

Mr. Gray is now 20, and has multiplied his net worth many times over from that first million, and is most interested now in helping young kids obtain the educational tools they need to succeed in life, to which end he established the Farrah Gray Foundation, a non-profit funding group that helps fund literacy and other educational programs in areas that just seem to miss out in all the (Liberal) education funding programs that have been tried for the last thirty years, but never seem to reach those that really need it.

A true Horatio Alger story, and one that proves that it's not the "rich" keeping us down and government helping us out of poverty;but our own attitudes stopping us from doing the work necessary to make our dreams come true, and government, far from helping, in many instances seems to be doing it's level best to prevent us from reaching our goals with excessive taxation and over-regulation.

The system we have right now punishes overachievers and rewards those that are content to let the government be their nursemaid. It's time that the people realize that nursemaids are for children that can't fend for themselves, and that you will never reach your goals if you act and behave as a child.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 01:44 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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One of my old friends in the Empire decided to go back into blogging, naturally, I hope that you all will go over and give him a hearty "Welcome Back".

Spencer, AKA SadLonelyGeek, has a lot to say, and the talent to make it interesting. So go to The Ego Daily, and see for yourselves.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 09:17 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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If you are a Star Wars fan, go here and check out Revelations, a film done byamateur fans. It's low budget but high production value. You would almost believe it came straight out of Lucasfilm. Real proof that if you really have the will and the computer skils, you too, can be a film maker. It may take a while to download, but it's truly worth the effort.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 12:55 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I was reading an opinion piece on the Fair Tax, at of all places, Gun Muse, when I came across this final paragraph that sums up something I intuitively have felt, but never heard expressed in such a clear manner.

"...This is a political issue and the politics is money. Just keep this in mind at all times as you listen to the argument. If a politician is elected by the most votes and the Republicans are the “Party of the Rich” Then doesn’t that mean they need more rich people.(?) Democrats are the "party of the poor", so that means they need (more)what to get elected?"

To express it mathmatically, if party A (A= Republicans) and party B (B= Democrats) each need a majority of C (C= Citizens, and where C is broken into subsets C-1 {rich} and C2 {poor}), and each party needs a majority to gain power. If you posit that party A is the party of C-1 and party B is the party of C-2, it follows that both parties would need to cause the greater number of C to join the either of the subsets of C-1 or C-2 Hence, Party A = >C-1, and party B=>C-2. An election could be expressed as: S/A=(>c-1 + c-2)=C (S= success for the party) where the winning party garner the majority of the subset they (supposedly) stand for.

(actually in the real world it is the party that garners the majority of BOTH c-1 and c-2, or, S/A= (>c-1 + >c-2) Or S/b=(>c-1+c-2)

It logically follows that both parties would espouse policies leading to a greater number of C joining the subset they "stand for", so that they could garner the greatest number of votes and thus remain in power.

So WHICH subset do YOU wish to belong to, the "rich" or the "poor"?; keeping in mind that the policies of either party will result in the likelyhood of you belonging to one or the other subset?

It's not really a valid equation(because of the reality that you need the greatest number of both sub-sets), but it is an interesting thought problem of logic. And if you assume that either party will enact policies to boost the number of "their" supporting sub-set, you can, by the rules of logic assume that Democrats want to create more poor people and that Republicans want to create more rich people. I see that logic functioning in many of the programs proposed by either of the parties, if you don't factor in the law of unintended consequences.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 12:10 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Sometime you may observe a fellow worker or family member stumble or act oddly for no apparent reason. If you just remember the following, you just may help save their lives, or more extensive brain damage.

Read and Learn! Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify.
Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

1. *Ask the individual to SMILE.

2. *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

3. *Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE.

If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks,
call 9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 12:10 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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John Gibson is reporting that there may be a schism in the top leadership of Al Qaeda, with the Nominal leader, Ossama bin Laden, wanting to continue attacking targets in the US, and his number two, Ayman al-Zawahiri, wanting to take controll of another Muslim country to provide for a base of operations to replace the one they had in Afghanistan from which to spread their terrorism. His target of choice seems to be Saudi Arabia.

It would seem that Zawahiri is taking the long term position, while Osama just wants to concentrate on the "Great Satan". IF this schism is reality, it would be to our benefit to exploit it.

As much as I find the present government In Saudi Arabia to be an abhorrent dictatorship, if we don't support their efforts to defend their autonomy, we may find that we will have a much worse enemy to contend with there in the near future. I am wondering if we may just be able to use this opportunity to steer the Saudi government onto a path more ameaneable to the freedom of it's citizens? We do need to help provide protection to the Kingdom to prevent it from becomeing an Al Quada tool, but there is no reason that that protection can't come with a price tag for the present Saudi system.

Those on the Left have long accused the West of propping up dictatorships in the ME, and to some extent they are correct; that we did interfere somewhat with the internal politics of the region. It must be realized however that sometimes you have to deal with what is, to prevent something worse, and with oil reseves there vitaly necessary to the economic well being of the Industrialized West, it may be that some of the past actions were justified in the context of the times. It must also be remembered that most of the administrations that conducted those past actions were controlled by the Democrats, so it's disingenious of them to try to proclaim their innocence in those actions now.

Now however, there is a new paradiegm, and a chance to change the ME for the better, especially for it's own resident population. We cannot let past actions make us fear to seize the opportunity to effect dramatic change now. The future existance of a free West is depending upon it. Otherwise, we will founder under continual war against those for whom the West represents everything they despise in their religious fanatacism, and the common residents of the ME will suffer even worse than we will, at least initially.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 11:28 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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I've been in many arguments with GFW's about WHY I feel the need to possess fierearms. They tell me that the only reason to have a firearm is if I intend to participate in a war zone or act as a duly authorized Law Enforcement Officer(LEO).

Well, I was a LEO for over 10 years. I have seen the underbelly of our society and dealt with the barbarians inhabiting that zone. And make no mistake, they ARE barbarians. We as a people have delegated responsibility for our safety to units of government embodied in the Military for the outside forces and the LEO's for those barbarians within our own walls that would do us harm. Then we proceeded to try to tell ourselves that we were safe, and we didn't need to worry on our own personal level, thats what the Police were for.

We forgot that "society" is an artificial construct; and it only functions smoothly and safely when all of us play by exactly the same rules and moral codes. The fact is that basic Human Nature IS NOT, and WILL NEVER BE as benign as we would have it in society. That drive to strive to overcome and to possess is in all of is to various degrees. In fact, we need that drive, channelled in appropiate ways, to maintain a society at all; without it, society becomes stagnant and withers away.

I have never been able to articulate what I mean by my views, and then, as I was surfing through my usual haunts, Kim du Toit(be sure to add him to YOUR daily reads!) pointed me to a post that articulates it perfectly, to where even the most devout GFW must stop and ponder "Hmmm, he may have a point there, I just wonder..." before they lapse back into their familiar rut of indoctrination and cry for yet another restriction of our 2nd. Amendment rights to "protect them from people that think that way".

My main point is that we are, by nature, Barbarians. Civilization has put a thin veneer over our basic nature and makes it seem that we have advanced over the millenia, but in reality, we have only channeled those basic impulses in the strictures of sociatal norms that allow us to use those impulses in ways that don't overtly harm others, at least for the most part. When we forget that those impulses are there, and let our guard down the slightest bit, society begins to break down and our true natures come once again to the fore. In the final analysis, might does make right. We are all animals, some of us predators and some of us natural prey, the difference we have over all the other animals in the world is, we can chose whether to REMAIN prey, or whether we will prey on the weaker just at this moment...we have choice in the matter. The GFW's have made the choice to remain sheep, protected by the shepherds of government; unfortunatly, they would try to force that same choice on those of us who, while we ARE predators, do not chose to predate, at least today. We will not mildly accept the pulling of our fangs, it isn't within our nature to do so. They should be gratefull that it is not, for the time will come yet again, when we will be the "civilized barbarians" that are defending them from those that have totally given themselves over to their true predatory nature.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 09:11 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Here are some views of the the new Iraq from those who should know best, the Iraqi citizens themselves. Notice the underlying theme: personal freedom unknown under Saddam.

Also notice the biggest complaint: lack of security. Ask yourselves just WHO is causing that fear and you will know just why we can't leave Iraq to her own devices just yet. We took away the protective element, and until the Iraqis can provide for themselves a new protective system, we owe them the best we can do.

The Iraqis are learning something now that all too many of us in the safe environs of a mature democracy seem to have forgotten, freedom entails risk, and eternal vigilence against those that would provide security at the cost of freedom, both from external, and internal factions.

I pray that the Iraqis come to realize that the government that governs least, governs best. I only pray that we remember that lesson too, before it's too late.

In that vein, allow me a mini-rant:

Many of the social programs that the Left have been espousing are great sounding, and come from a compassionate urge to aid those less fortunate, but the law of unintended consequences must always be kept in mind; every one of these programs passed into action gives the government yet another piece of control over our individual freedom and personal autonomy, and in slow, incremental ways, cause government to become an oppressive and restrictive force hemming in every individual.

There has to be a balance between compassion and freedom, even if that freedom might lead to an individual failure. Eternal vigilence, and, sometimes, a seemingly hard-hearted refusal of the public magniminaty, are the only bulwarks against this slow encroachment on personal freedom.

The main problem of the Left is that they have forgotten is that, sometimes, freedom means the freedom to fail. Results are never guarenteed, only the freedom to strive for success is what our system is all about.

There is no such thing as "just a little socialism". Socialism is a festering malignancy on the body politic that will always encroach and kill the body if allowed any growth. A small growth, once established, will always feed itself first in a never-ending attempt to expand it's boundries and scope.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 10:43 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Here is an open letter from one of our soldiers in Iraq to the oh so brave antiwar protesters at Ohio University.

Marc Fencil is one of many examples that we have reason to be proud of the young men serving in the military forces. If you want to give him an "attaboy", you can e-mail him at : marc.fencil@ohiou.edu. Be warned though, if you use that address to slander Marc or his compatriots, I will hunt you down like the dog you are.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 02:43 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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When in the course of human events..... so begins one most important documents in world history... It put forth a truly novel idea, that all people had rights, just by virtue of existing. It stated that these rights were endowed to us by the creator of the universe. (Yes, contrary to what some revisionists would have you believe, every one of the Founding Fathers DID believe in a Supreme Deity, although they did not agree on many forms of how to regard it)

This was the most revolutionary idea they espoused. That people naturally had the right to exist, be free, and to be allowed to pursue that which made them happy. That these rights were a part of existance, not granted by a government or priesthood.

Too many people today seem to have forgotten this idea; looking to government to provide for their every need, or even wish, they may have. Today we have a Judiciary that seems all too eager to deprive the sick and/or elderly, and the yet unborn, to that basic right of life. We have people of all political persuasions trying to enforce their ideas on the general populace. (I believe mostly from the Left, no doubt those on the Left think it's mostly a desire of the Right) Whichever side it originates from, our freedom is constantly under assault from those who feel "they know better". This makes "the pursuit of happiness" an almost meaningless phrase.

I believe that it may be time for a second American Revolution. Hopefully, a bloodless one; where we reassert the principles that we were founded on.
We need to re-educate our young to our real history, with all it's blemishes, and all its noble ideals. The PC founded crap they teach now is nothing more than indoctrination to Group-think socialism. Don't think so? They started earlier in Europe, look to see what the results are there. Stagnant, or falling, economies, tax rates that in some cases approach 80-90%, innovation stifled by beaucracy that our government wonks can only dream of. Name the good or service, and it is controlled by some government board or other, in regard to it's delivery, cost, and materials used, and woe to he that tries to break out of the mold.

Yes, there is universal health care....if you can survive the wait long enough to be treated, and treatments decided by government fiat, not by health care professionals. Doctors are nothing more than skilled professionals on the level of good plumbers or electricians. Innovation in medicine is frowned upon...after all, "that isn't the way we've always done it". Ever wonder WHY almost 90% of all new treatments and drugs come from America? Just look to Universal Health Care and the attitude it engenders, and you will have your answer.

The Left must come to realize that real freedom requires real personal responsibility. It sounds nice that we are our brothers keeper, and, spiritually, I believe we are, but trying to provide a total "safety net" that allows no one to utterly fail, in the end, also allows no one to succeed to their full potential, and in the end, leads to tyranny over all.

The Right also has to learn that we must be allowed the freedom to fail; and that government is best that governs least. We can not legislate morality, we can only instill it in the education of our young from the beginning of their academic careers. The Right has abdicated education to the so-called "experts" of the NEA, and in doing so, has sown the seeds of the destruction of the republic.

The single greatest force for the ultimate downfall of our Republic is the ACLU and their compatriot activist judges that have forgotten that is NOT their job to write the law, their only job is to apply the law equally to all. Remember people, the phrase is freedom OF religion, NOT freedom FROM religion. The ACLU has taken their anti-religion crusade to the ultimate idiotic extremes. I am not an adherent to any particular religious way, but I have to acknowledge that exposure to religion in many forms in my youth ultimately led to my moral sense of self, and I suspect that is the case for many of my generation and earlier. We may not follow the forms, but the basic philosophy was incultated in us from an early age. Looking at the activities and proclivities of many of the young, I have to say that I feel sorry that they didn't have the same sense of the spiritual exposed to them. I don't think that Columbine and some of the other recent incidents would have happened had that happened.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 12:57 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Last night, as I was lying in bed reading a Xanth novel prior to wending my way to dreamland and enjoying the soft purr coming from Lucy, one of our cats lying on top of the clean laundry in the basket at the end of the bed, I observed another little face peeking out from the other side of the basket.

It was Denita, Rodent escape artist extrodinaire, who has been causing havoc about the Citidal for the last four days after her latest escape from the spacious cage she shares with Beth. It seems that she enjoys the taste of data cables, causing us to lose our DSL connection for two days. Worse, we only discovered the real cause of the disconnect after SBC had sent a tech out to ascertain the nature of our outage....

I slipped out from under the covers as quietly and smoothly as I could (at last all those times that I came home late from an establisment of terpsechordian ecydesiasts stood me in good stead for a moral purpose) and approached the basket from behind. Denita must have noticed some movement, as she was attempting to hide underneath Lucy, with only her tail hanging out. Lucy never moved during this whole episode. A quick grab, and I had eight ounces of enraged Rattus Norvegicus hanging down in front of my face. She tried to double back on herself to give me (to her reckining, a well deserved) a nip, but I was prepared for it and was too fast for HER instead of the reverse this time.
I conveyed her to the little travel cage and put her back into confinement, until such time as I can ensure that the larger cage that she shares with Beth will resist her talents at escape.

She is NOT a happy camper...she was having far too much fun chasing the cats about the Citidal and chewing through vital data cords to be happy in an enclosed environment.

I think that we'll have to get an aquarium type enclosure to prevent future free-ranging. Harder to clean, but worth it to not worry about unauthorised access to the Citidal. I think Beth was delight to see her cagemate back, even if at present they are just in side by side enclosures. I never knew that Rats were such social creatures, but they truly aren't happy being alone. Denita was content with her interaction with the cats, but Beth almost seemed to go into a state of depression. She did a backflip when she saw Denita in the cage next to her, and made some excited chitters at her.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 10:18 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Bill Clinton yet again proves just what kind of a man he is...a self-serving egotist.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 02:36 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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