Members of the Continental Congress began adding their signatures to the Declaration of Independence. Many believed the painting showing everyone lining up on July 3rd or 4th was an accurate portrayal of the events surrounding the signing by the Congress but such was not the case. After these guys read what Jefferson, Adams and Franklin had written or directed to be written it took a full month to start getting them back together to sign the actual document.
When this bunch saw what the leaders had done it scared the hell out of them. Reports are they lit out of Philly as soon as the first draft was read and it took Washington's army to drag them back. Who in their right mine would send such an inflammatory writing to the King of the most powerful nation in the world, telling him this bunch of radical field hands were taking his summer vacation retreat and turning it into a sovereign nation. Washington found many of these Congressmen in caves and others hightailing it to Canada. It took months to get everyone in to sign.
I guess we should not get too upset when our current Congress finds every way possible to avoid addressing the real issues of the day. Congress has a long record of CTA (Covering their A$$).
Monday, August 2, 2010
Saturday, July 31, 2010
God would play great in Vegas
On this day in 2010 God extended his time defying evidence of power and awesomeness by once again transforming the world from pitch darkness to sunshine bright. He fed and nurtured billions and billions of people with food and love, sometimes using the hands, hearts, and resources of his children from one bountiful place serving in places where food and love are in short supply. All the time he remembered the name, address, social # and e-mail address of those many consider to be the least worthy of all. What an awesome God.
There is a difference between our awesome God and the great illusionist in Vegas. Our God does it without smoke, mirrors and illusions. This stuff is real.
There is a difference between our awesome God and the great illusionist in Vegas. Our God does it without smoke, mirrors and illusions. This stuff is real.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
How did I miss 'Proverbs'
My Tuesday morning Bible Study group recently started a study of the Book of Proverbs, which is still tucked right behind Psalms in the Old Testament. John Coon being a former teacher and a true student of religion and spirituality found our study guide and introduce us again to this fantastic work we find still located between Psalms and Ecclesiastes. The rest of us will take a Chapter each and leaning heavily on John and Mike Free try to get something out of the book.
I am a little tired of the ‘On this day’ stuff and I am finding this Proverb’s stuff really interesting. I think I want to talk about this new interest for awhile and leave the ‘battle of Brushy Creek’ and ‘how the Yankees cheated us in the great war’ stuff alone for a while.
That great spiritualist and wild game hunter Roger Ferrell led us in Chapter 1 and really did a good job. This stuff so far is so simple I can’t figure out why a dummy like me has not used it more for a resource during my life. The writer, Soloman primarily, starts it off by saying “the proverbs set out are to teach people wisdom and discipline and to help them understand wise sayings”. It seems like for 64 years this little nugget just went over my head. Now Mrs. Gladys Young and Mrs. C.C. Burdette taught me the proverbs and my family discussed them from time to time when one would apply to my raising but to actually study them and make them a part of my character and soul it just did not seem to take. I know I was a better person because I had heard them and knew where they came from but to absorb them and make them a part of my very fiber I don’t think I made the grade.
The first few verses of Chapter 1 very simply tell why these were put together. The book is not designed to convey a lot of religious or spiritual content. Solomon and the other writers are not looking to give the listeners and readers religious doctrine but simply everyday wisdom. Chapter 1:3 tells us that ‘Through these proverbs, people will receive instruction in discipline, good conduct, and doing what is right, just, and fair”. Duh, I have needed a lesson in right, just and fair many times over the years and the instructions were right there.
Now here is a truth, written for me in, I really have needed numerous times, 1:4 says “These proverbs will make the simpleminded clever”. If you look in the dictionary under ‘simpleminded’ I think you will find my picture, so why haven’t I been in this book daily. 1:4 finishes by assuring us the proverbs will “give knowledge and purpose to young people” (and old alike).
The writer sums up this introduction with simple instruction, which I somehow missed for so long. 1:5-6 says “let those who are wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. And let those who understand receive guidance by exploring the depth of meaning in these proverbs, parables, wise sayings, and riddles.” I guess it is time for me to start understanding these gems and receiving this guidance.
*All quotes are from the ‘Life Application Study Bible’, New Living Translation.
I am a little tired of the ‘On this day’ stuff and I am finding this Proverb’s stuff really interesting. I think I want to talk about this new interest for awhile and leave the ‘battle of Brushy Creek’ and ‘how the Yankees cheated us in the great war’ stuff alone for a while.
That great spiritualist and wild game hunter Roger Ferrell led us in Chapter 1 and really did a good job. This stuff so far is so simple I can’t figure out why a dummy like me has not used it more for a resource during my life. The writer, Soloman primarily, starts it off by saying “the proverbs set out are to teach people wisdom and discipline and to help them understand wise sayings”. It seems like for 64 years this little nugget just went over my head. Now Mrs. Gladys Young and Mrs. C.C. Burdette taught me the proverbs and my family discussed them from time to time when one would apply to my raising but to actually study them and make them a part of my character and soul it just did not seem to take. I know I was a better person because I had heard them and knew where they came from but to absorb them and make them a part of my very fiber I don’t think I made the grade.
The first few verses of Chapter 1 very simply tell why these were put together. The book is not designed to convey a lot of religious or spiritual content. Solomon and the other writers are not looking to give the listeners and readers religious doctrine but simply everyday wisdom. Chapter 1:3 tells us that ‘Through these proverbs, people will receive instruction in discipline, good conduct, and doing what is right, just, and fair”. Duh, I have needed a lesson in right, just and fair many times over the years and the instructions were right there.
Now here is a truth, written for me in, I really have needed numerous times, 1:4 says “These proverbs will make the simpleminded clever”. If you look in the dictionary under ‘simpleminded’ I think you will find my picture, so why haven’t I been in this book daily. 1:4 finishes by assuring us the proverbs will “give knowledge and purpose to young people” (and old alike).
The writer sums up this introduction with simple instruction, which I somehow missed for so long. 1:5-6 says “let those who are wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. And let those who understand receive guidance by exploring the depth of meaning in these proverbs, parables, wise sayings, and riddles.” I guess it is time for me to start understanding these gems and receiving this guidance.
*All quotes are from the ‘Life Application Study Bible’, New Living Translation.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Paul Hubbard's new book: Black is White and White is Black
Are we actually stupid enough to fall for the latest and greatest from Paul Hubbard. Bradley Byrne is one of the very few that has gone one on one with Hubbard and won. Byrne has come the closest to breaking Hubbard's strangle hold on the legislature of this state and has the scars to prove it. Now Hubbard is funding an underground campaign that has the sheer nerve to question Byrne's credentials as a conservative while painting Tim James as the second coming of Ronald Regan. Little Timmy like is daddy has been bought to carry the water for Hubbard for the next four years. (It will only be four years because it is a proven fact that this state cannot stomach a James for more that four years at time.)
The polls say we may be buying this load of garbage hook line and sinker. I think we are smarter than to let that happen. It has taken Hubbard nearly four years to get some of what Byrne took away from him earlier and Hubbard thinks he's got the $$$ to keep the Byrne machine from jerking him around again. I hope we can understand if it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck and swims like a duct it is probably a duck. In the words of that great American, Tim James, 'what do you think about that'.
The polls say we may be buying this load of garbage hook line and sinker. I think we are smarter than to let that happen. It has taken Hubbard nearly four years to get some of what Byrne took away from him earlier and Hubbard thinks he's got the $$$ to keep the Byrne machine from jerking him around again. I hope we can understand if it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck and swims like a duct it is probably a duck. In the words of that great American, Tim James, 'what do you think about that'.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Politicians can't trade anymore
How incompetent can the people that are supposed represent us be? Have we made it so hard for a regular person, possessing the skills to barter and trade, to be elected to any of our governing bodies? Whether you like it or not rich people, who have been rich all their lives or at least for so long they can't remember how ordinary people get by, are running this country. Most of these folks are so spoiled they think they must have it their way or nothing. Look at them, $2,000 dollar suits, $100 dollar haircuts, a government passenger jet for transportation and who knows what else we cannot even imagine.
Nobody trades anymore. John Sparkman, a Democrat, laid the groundwork for the giant Redstone Arsenal and Marshal Space Flight Center and NASA during the Republican administration of General Eisenhower. Old time traders like former Sen. Jim Allen and Representatives like Bob Jones, Tom Bevil and Bud Cramer kept it going through the Kennedy, Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Bush 1, Clinton and Bush 2 years. Today we have spoiled blue-bloods who can not even spell trade or compromise.
With conditions being the same as they are today Sen. John Sparkman and Rep. Bob Jones could have had the Washington Monument moved to Arley. This President needs help from the Republicans like a dead man needs a coffin. We are sitting here whining about losing a giant 'tanker' project in Baldwin County in addition to the dismantling of the NASA we know. At the same time our senior Senator is holding up 75 or 80 administration appointments out of sheer spite. Also our entire delegation meets each morning at the Lincoln Memorial to ride together in a limo past the White House while collectively 'mooning' the 'house of the people', as a sign of party loyalty.
This administration is so desperate for some Republican (which is all we have now) help they would be willing to trade almost anything for a breakthrough on the impasse Washington finds itself in. In the old days if the opposite party were as desperate the Obama administration is today, Sen. Sparkman would be easing over to the White House after dark with a handful of shopping bags to bring home the projects he wanted for his State.
If any of this state's delegation had enough skill to trade with Joe Sartain or Lynn Layton for a used car they could get anything they wanted at this particular time.
There is supposedly 80% of the Health Care bill that all parties agree on. If Shelby or that other guy representing us came out and publicly said he was going to support that 80% you could not run enough trains into Alabama to deliver what the Democrats would send. If a couple of the members of our delegation just went on T.V. and said they wanted to be the first to sincerely start the process to return to bipartisanship they would be amazed the goody bags that would begin to open. But NO, whatever the other side says is bad, they are trying to subvert the infra structure of the country, any success from the opposition will kill our democracy and lead us to a downfall like no other.
The neat thing about trading with the enemy is that most times everybody comes out a winner. What if we did get some relief from skyrocketing health care cost, and Baldwin County got a couple of thousand new jobs and a boost to their economy. What if we got another 35,000,000 people covered by insurance and the ones with insurance quit paying for those without coverage, and NASA went back to work trying to get a man on Mars.
The way things are today John Sparkman could get the U.S. Capital moved to Huntsville, Cape Kennedy to Mobile and the Jack Daniels Distillery to Sommerville. But our guys today will continue to hold on because they are right, that is what Jefferson Davis thought back in the mid 1800's and he got to retire early.
Nobody trades anymore. John Sparkman, a Democrat, laid the groundwork for the giant Redstone Arsenal and Marshal Space Flight Center and NASA during the Republican administration of General Eisenhower. Old time traders like former Sen. Jim Allen and Representatives like Bob Jones, Tom Bevil and Bud Cramer kept it going through the Kennedy, Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Bush 1, Clinton and Bush 2 years. Today we have spoiled blue-bloods who can not even spell trade or compromise.
With conditions being the same as they are today Sen. John Sparkman and Rep. Bob Jones could have had the Washington Monument moved to Arley. This President needs help from the Republicans like a dead man needs a coffin. We are sitting here whining about losing a giant 'tanker' project in Baldwin County in addition to the dismantling of the NASA we know. At the same time our senior Senator is holding up 75 or 80 administration appointments out of sheer spite. Also our entire delegation meets each morning at the Lincoln Memorial to ride together in a limo past the White House while collectively 'mooning' the 'house of the people', as a sign of party loyalty.
This administration is so desperate for some Republican (which is all we have now) help they would be willing to trade almost anything for a breakthrough on the impasse Washington finds itself in. In the old days if the opposite party were as desperate the Obama administration is today, Sen. Sparkman would be easing over to the White House after dark with a handful of shopping bags to bring home the projects he wanted for his State.
If any of this state's delegation had enough skill to trade with Joe Sartain or Lynn Layton for a used car they could get anything they wanted at this particular time.
There is supposedly 80% of the Health Care bill that all parties agree on. If Shelby or that other guy representing us came out and publicly said he was going to support that 80% you could not run enough trains into Alabama to deliver what the Democrats would send. If a couple of the members of our delegation just went on T.V. and said they wanted to be the first to sincerely start the process to return to bipartisanship they would be amazed the goody bags that would begin to open. But NO, whatever the other side says is bad, they are trying to subvert the infra structure of the country, any success from the opposition will kill our democracy and lead us to a downfall like no other.
The neat thing about trading with the enemy is that most times everybody comes out a winner. What if we did get some relief from skyrocketing health care cost, and Baldwin County got a couple of thousand new jobs and a boost to their economy. What if we got another 35,000,000 people covered by insurance and the ones with insurance quit paying for those without coverage, and NASA went back to work trying to get a man on Mars.
The way things are today John Sparkman could get the U.S. Capital moved to Huntsville, Cape Kennedy to Mobile and the Jack Daniels Distillery to Sommerville. But our guys today will continue to hold on because they are right, that is what Jefferson Davis thought back in the mid 1800's and he got to retire early.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Take Away the Firewood
When exactly did a whole nation go under the ether? It had to have been sometime between the late fifties and now. I think I remember back there somewhere about the time I approached manhood when the consumer pretty much ran the commerce and retail world. The sellers sought out the customers and plied them with good deals and would even negotiate with someone to just get the sell. Sellers would advertise and invite you to visit them and buy and even after you bought they would give you a hand full of green stamps for good measure. If the consumer got a bad deal or felt abused in any way wo-be-it for the vendor. That one mistreated customer would tell everyone he knew about the abuse and in many cases put the vendor out of business. Prices were super competitive and many a price war was started because aggressive marketing. A special on hamburger meat at the Piggly Wiggly would deal a serious blow to the traffic at the Big Star.
The buyer was in charge, they dictated the success of any venture and as a result kept everyone honest. Even the vendors of goods and services were conscious of appearing to be too successful. Once a vendor began to appear to be making too much the first assumption was that the new car or boat was a result of getting to the customers and it hurt the vendors business. Somehow we lost the clout we enjoyed as customers. Maybe it is because there is just so many of us now. Maybe we don’t have super clubs or bridge nights where six or eight couples sit around and compare notes anymore. Whatever we have lost our power or so it seems.
The most notable evidence of this is what we accept from our banks and financial institutions. Because we went under the ether back there somewhere in the 60’s or 70’s we never question anything they do and never abandon them as ‘our’ bank. Now it is hard as hell for me to understand why every one of these banks charge the same $35 dollars for a fee on an overdraft check. If bank ‘A’ wanted to attract some business why don’t they run specials on overdraft fees or start giving toasters for everyone opening an account with them. Any other industry charging such uniform fees would be investigated for price fixing. If we the consumers decided $6 billion was too much to pay in bonuses and some of that money should be lent to business in the community why don’t we move our accounts to some of these local banks that still recognize you when you walk into their lobbies.
We need to understand the opportunities for these abuses are only possible because these too big to fail institutions have our accounts and money at their disposal. If the American people simply took away the firewood then these Ivy League educated buttholes would not have the fuel to start their fires.
We do not need the government to regulate these bums. We have the internet, websites and every other means of communications to coordinate a gigantic move that would put our money back in our communities from which it came. We can send these blue bloods on out to the Hamptons to nurse the money they have taken out of the economy but cut them off from future pillages of our national treasure.
The buyer was in charge, they dictated the success of any venture and as a result kept everyone honest. Even the vendors of goods and services were conscious of appearing to be too successful. Once a vendor began to appear to be making too much the first assumption was that the new car or boat was a result of getting to the customers and it hurt the vendors business. Somehow we lost the clout we enjoyed as customers. Maybe it is because there is just so many of us now. Maybe we don’t have super clubs or bridge nights where six or eight couples sit around and compare notes anymore. Whatever we have lost our power or so it seems.
The most notable evidence of this is what we accept from our banks and financial institutions. Because we went under the ether back there somewhere in the 60’s or 70’s we never question anything they do and never abandon them as ‘our’ bank. Now it is hard as hell for me to understand why every one of these banks charge the same $35 dollars for a fee on an overdraft check. If bank ‘A’ wanted to attract some business why don’t they run specials on overdraft fees or start giving toasters for everyone opening an account with them. Any other industry charging such uniform fees would be investigated for price fixing. If we the consumers decided $6 billion was too much to pay in bonuses and some of that money should be lent to business in the community why don’t we move our accounts to some of these local banks that still recognize you when you walk into their lobbies.
We need to understand the opportunities for these abuses are only possible because these too big to fail institutions have our accounts and money at their disposal. If the American people simply took away the firewood then these Ivy League educated buttholes would not have the fuel to start their fires.
We do not need the government to regulate these bums. We have the internet, websites and every other means of communications to coordinate a gigantic move that would put our money back in our communities from which it came. We can send these blue bloods on out to the Hamptons to nurse the money they have taken out of the economy but cut them off from future pillages of our national treasure.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Better things to Pray for
Today’s election day in Massachusetts and they are trying to elect a successor to Ted Kennedy. The Democrat is a woman, I think Attorney General of the State either now or at sometime in the past. The seat was originally thought to be a lock for any Democrat with a pulse and body temp of at least 98 degrees. Some good-looking stud Republican named Brown got in the race soon after Teddy died and seems to be giving the lady a run for her money.
Now here’s the thing I can’t figure out. I am getting all kinds of messages from people I highly respect as fellow Christians telling me I should be fasting, praying and in intense meditation to further the cause of the Brown guy. I genuinely love the people asking me to recommend this guy to God for his election to the Senate from Mass. (I’m not spelling Mass. but once, see above), but I’m just not sure what the lady did that is so wrong and how it is my business to butt in. I know I lean a little left of a lot of folks around here and I also know God loves me just a much as he does someone that does not always agree with me. My problem comes from the feeling that maybe God just has not told me something he has told everyone else.
I pray every day and seek God in whatever goes on around me. In all my praying and seeking it has never once been revealed to me by anyone or anything with greater authority than Bill O’Reilly, Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh that we don’t need a better health care system in this country which seems to be the real rub. I’m 64 years old, lost my job and insurance and weigh 300 pounds or more and no one will insure me. I am going to get sick someday and this great country is not going to let me go without medical attention. I really do not think everyone else should be burden with paying for my health care but under the present system I have no choice. I ran a business where the health care cost went up every year forcing me more and more to transfer this cost to my employees.
I am just not sure God does not want that extra 31 million people covered the proposed legislation proposes to cover. I am also not so sure it is God’s plan to allow BC/BS to continue to dictate what it will pay to doctors and hospitals for their services, while setting sky-high rates for those it chooses to cover as long as they stay healthy just because the have 85% of the business.
I think I will just let the people of Mass. choose their Senator on their own. They have been doing it for a long time and seem to have done very well for themselves. God gave us the best system the world has ever seen in this democracy we live with and I believe it works pretty well. I think I will simply pray that everyone votes, they vote their conscious and convictions and when they have a Senator they support him or her to the fullest and not try to undermine everything O’Reilly, Beck and Limbaugh do not like.
Now here’s the thing I can’t figure out. I am getting all kinds of messages from people I highly respect as fellow Christians telling me I should be fasting, praying and in intense meditation to further the cause of the Brown guy. I genuinely love the people asking me to recommend this guy to God for his election to the Senate from Mass. (I’m not spelling Mass. but once, see above), but I’m just not sure what the lady did that is so wrong and how it is my business to butt in. I know I lean a little left of a lot of folks around here and I also know God loves me just a much as he does someone that does not always agree with me. My problem comes from the feeling that maybe God just has not told me something he has told everyone else.
I pray every day and seek God in whatever goes on around me. In all my praying and seeking it has never once been revealed to me by anyone or anything with greater authority than Bill O’Reilly, Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh that we don’t need a better health care system in this country which seems to be the real rub. I’m 64 years old, lost my job and insurance and weigh 300 pounds or more and no one will insure me. I am going to get sick someday and this great country is not going to let me go without medical attention. I really do not think everyone else should be burden with paying for my health care but under the present system I have no choice. I ran a business where the health care cost went up every year forcing me more and more to transfer this cost to my employees.
I am just not sure God does not want that extra 31 million people covered the proposed legislation proposes to cover. I am also not so sure it is God’s plan to allow BC/BS to continue to dictate what it will pay to doctors and hospitals for their services, while setting sky-high rates for those it chooses to cover as long as they stay healthy just because the have 85% of the business.
I think I will just let the people of Mass. choose their Senator on their own. They have been doing it for a long time and seem to have done very well for themselves. God gave us the best system the world has ever seen in this democracy we live with and I believe it works pretty well. I think I will simply pray that everyone votes, they vote their conscious and convictions and when they have a Senator they support him or her to the fullest and not try to undermine everything O’Reilly, Beck and Limbaugh do not like.
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