To Ann Coulter in Memory of John Vincent Coulter

I am so very sorry to hear about the passing of your father. I understand that it is both a sorrowful and proud moment. We hate to be without those we cherish and admire, but enjoy the fact that they are with people like Reagan.
I can tell you this, however, that no other daughter has better proven her father's mettle and fortitude than have you. I am sure he is telling McCarthy all about you right now despite the fact Joe already knows - it's a dad's prerogative.
There is no question that he is as proud of you as I am of my daughters.
This is coming from a father of an Astrophysicist who is preparing to become a nun, a daughter who joined the National Guard knowing she might be sent to Iraq, and another daughter who is majoring in International Politics with a minor in Religion - and is still a conservative Republican!
I thank your father for having raised such a fine person and will keep him in my prayers.

The Huckabee Cross

Why is everyone complaining about the Huckabee cross? Didn't anyone see the elephant in the room called a Christmas Tree?!!! Or that he mentions "Christ" or says, "God bless and Merry Christmas". Of course it was meant to be a cross! He's a preacher.
The important thing is that it all appears to be a lie!
According to research on involuntary non-verbal communications "people telling falsehoods often involuntarily send a telltale nonverbal message to listeners by frequently blinking their eyes."
Watch when he talks about being worn out from "all the television commercials you've been seeing". He blinks incessantly - he isn't worn out, doesn't expect you are, and wants you to see more (such as this ad).
Then he says, "What really matters is a celebration of the birth of Christ." But, again he blinks incessantly - what really matters to him is getting elected.
In the 30-second political commercial, he blinks about 39 times. What is he hiding? Why do I not trust him?

A thought for the day...

When John the Baptist was preaching, "Soldiers ... asked him, 'And what is it that we should do?' He told them, 'Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.' " (Luke 3:14)
And, what does Jesus say about John? That he was "more than a prophet." (Mat 11:9) and "Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist." (Mat 11:11)
So, if John is the second greatest person in the Bible and God has a commandment "Thou shalt not kill" and (we are told) God is opposed to soldiers killing the enemy, why did John miss this opportunity to say, "Soldiers, throw down your weapons and kill no one," and instead says something that is apparently innocuous: "be satisfied with your wages"?
Was John afraid of angering the soldiers? The same John who stood out the gates of the palace and loudly condemned Herod Antipas for adultery!!!???
Think about it.

Some Great Choices for President

When we look for a Presidential candidate first we look to someone who is dedicated, honest, intelligent, experienced, and has the ability and drive to work for the country. Then we ask personal questions of empathy, compassion, and sympathy. Only after they are vetted through this process will we ask for a position on the issues.

What if I told you that there was a person who had almost 20 years of experience in the highest levels of government? He was instrumental in the Cold War victory and the defeat of the Soviet Union resulting in the freedom of all of Eastern Europe. One of the greatest transitions of people and society in the history of the world – without shedding any blood. Although he never served in the military, has spent more than 10 years working effectively and enthusiastically with and within the corridors at the Pentagon.

What about the young man who started college at 15 and received a bachelor's degree in political science, cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, at the age of 20; a master's from the University of Notre Dame at 25; and Ph.D. at 31. Awarded honorary doctorates from Morehouse College, the University of Alabama, the University of Notre Dame, and the Mississippi College School of Law. Who also speaks French, German, Spanish, and fluent Russian and has played the piano since the age of three.

For those interested in a business leader, there is the guy who was a member of the boards of directors for the Chevron Corporation, the Charles Schwab Corporation, the University of Notre Dame, and the International Advisory Council of J.P. Morgan. In addition, a board member of the Transamerica Corporation, Hewlett Packard, the Carnegie Corporation, and The Rand Corporation.

For charity and community programs, there is always the hero who was a Founding Board member of the Center for a New Generation – an educational support fund for local schools, Vice President of the regional Boys and Girls Club, on the board of directors for the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the San Francisco Symphony Board of Governors, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Mid-Peninsula Urban Coalition, and KQED public broadcasting for San Francisco.

Then there are those who look for a Secretary of State in the line of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren and James Buchanan. I know another man who fits easily into that category.

Of course, this is a Christian country and our President must believe in God. There is always the son of a Presbyterian minister who participated and assisted his father in his ministry throughout his life. He was a first-hand witness of the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s and has worked throughout his life for the fair treatment and success of minorities.

For the jock in all of us, there is the football jock who know more about football then the average Monday morning quarterback (and some of the Sunday afternoon quarterbacks on the field). Someone who excelled in sports and enjoys it to the fullest, competing at the collegiate level.

What if I told you each of these persons was the same person?
What if I told you he was black?
What if I told you he was a she?

Condoleezza Rice (Condi, we need you. Please run! It's not too late.)

The world actually is black and white

The world actually is black and white.

There is right and there is wrong and we must make rules based on what is right or wrong. Only after that can we look at each violation on a case-by-case basis and determine a "special circumstance". If we have no standard, we have no measurement of success.

Being elected isn't a job, it is an honor and there is no honor if there is no character.

Drugs, the President, and kids

"Rudy defends Obama's discussion of previous drug use" screams the headline, but "Romney feels ... [that] Obama committed a huge error.”
So, is admitting drug us an error? Is admitting it to students a bad mistake? Is Rudy making room for his own faults ("ye that live in glass houses...")?
First, drug use is not only bad, it is stupid. While doing drugs should not be a life sentence, it is both an indication of poor judgment and physically effects the brain. I know this for a fact. I have a brother who smoked a lot of pot in the 70s and now is an avowed liberal. He voted for Clinton, TWICE, as well as alGore and Kerry, and is proud of it!? If that isn't a reason not to use drugs, I don't know what is. Talk about being scared straight!!!! (Oh, and I would never vote for my brother for President.)
There are two reasons to admit drug use. First to get help, second to let the cat out of the bag before your opponent uses it as a tool against you. Obama doesn't need help with drug use now (I think).
So, is it bad to tell students they can turn their lives around? Of course not. Part of the problem with addiction is the feeling that you are worthless and cannot correct your errors. The fact that Obama overcame a problem and made something out of himself despite it is what makes America great. But he is missing a great Liberal opportunity by not pointing out that Big Government made it possible through welfare, social programs, and redistribution of wealth.
Is Mitt Romney wrong then in saying it is an error to tell students of his past faults? In a way. Obama caveatted that his conversion was based on lies "noticing ... some places poor, some rich. We spend so much money on military, but we don't spend our money on schools." Admitting a fault, even to children, isn't a bad thing. Instead of showing how individual effort and knowledge corrected that fault, he uses mis-characterizations (spending no money on schools and all the money on the military) and lies to promote his agenda. Romney was right in that the admission was not to help the kids in study hall, it was only to help Obama in his run for President. Kids see a drug user that, despite his lies and inability to accept the blame for them, might be President. Both Mitt and I are scared that this may come true.

Global Warming

OK, I will face the fact that the globe is, in fact warming. But, "warming" is relative. It may be warmer today than it was yesterday, but it is not hot by any stretch of the imagination (it might get up to 70 degrees today). Of course, 35 years ago, the planet was cooling and we were all warned about that. And, I expect the planet will warm an cool as it has done for billions of years. That is why we have "ice ages", "mass extinction of dinosaurs", and pop-cycles.
But, did man cause the present warming?
No more than he did in melting the ice sheet that covered the northern hemisphere which cause glaciers in the Hudson, Susquehanna, and Ohio Valleys or completely ripped off half of a mountain in Yosemite.
What is more important - can man stop, limit, or alter the "warming"?
We are not talking about something as simple as controlling a tornado, or even directing a relatively small storm like hurricane Katrina. No, we are talking about controlling the weather on a global scale. I don't think we are capable of that, or will be for some time. Even exploding nuclear weapons in the 50s did little to influence the weather (and nothing at all to control it).
Then again, do we want to control the weather. Think about all the things mankind has done in their effort to "help" mother nature. The best example is Yellowstone. The US Park Service has actually ensured the extinction of the Rocky Mountain grey wolf. They have also eliminated the white-tailed deer, bobcat, wolverine, cougar, lynx, and mountain lion from the park and promoted the serious decline of the grizzly bear, black bear, bighorn sheep, mule deer, and beaver. All "to protect" the environment. Just imagine what the Government can do for the weather!
So, let's see, they can't predict the temperature or rain accurately more than a week in advance (and often more than a few days in advance). They can't steer a hurricane or tornado or cyclone. And people want them to try and influence the weather on a global scale?
That is a sure recipe for disaster.
I tell you what we can do to combat global warming. Open the windows, turn on a fan, and put the coats in the closet, but not too far away because global cooling is just around the corner.