Moral courage is doing what's right when it costs you something.
I originally started working up a post about county clerks who are refusing to issue marriage licensees to homosexual couples. I was going to post their names and where they were from and give them the praise they deserve. Many of them are losing their job, or having to resign, which amounts to the same thing. Others are going to be facing lawsuits and financial ruin.
Then I realized that my list meant to honor the courageous would also be a "hit list" for activists.
Even so I know their names and honor their conviction. You have come to your positions for such at time as this.
CD
KD
KP
DP
GA
DG
CJ
If anyone has others post their initials only in the comments.
6/30/2015
6/27/2015
Reflection
"May you live in interesting times" is a supposed Chinese curse. I don't think anyone has ever proven it is a Chinese saying but culturally obtuse Americans can label a saying whatever they want. Calling it a curse is a truism regardless of the source.
As Susan indicated in the comments of the last post, its been an interesting week.
There is evidence that the Whitehouse is directing private enterprises to ban the sale of the Stars and Bars, also known as the Confederate Battle Flag. Apparently this flag is "hurtful" to a significant number of Americans.
I'm not sure the root cause of the hurt. This flag wasn't thought of as hurtful in 1866. The conquering Union Army did not ban it during or after reconstruction. It was not thought of as harmful or degrading by those who were actually enslaved prior to 1865.
The children of black slaves didn't object to the flag, nor did their children, or theirs or even the generation of blacks after that. It would appear that this outrage is a newly acquired phenomenon. There has been no legal institutional racism against blacks in this country in my life time. In fact for over 45 years blacks in America have had the exact opposite of anti-black racism. They have enjoyed affirmative action and direct money transfers from whites. Call it wealth distribution or welfare either way white Americans paid money to black Americans, for what no one is exactly sure.
We are told that the word "nigger" is the most offensive thing a black person can be called. I can count on one hand how many times I have heard a white person say it in a degrading manor in the last 20 years. For the last 15 years I have been in the company of rednecks. Yet "nigger" is how blacks talk about themselves.
Another thing I find interesting about America's racial situation: It is OK for mobs of blacks to attack helpless whites to beat and rob them. It happens frequently enough that now it hardly makes mainstream national news. It's OK for blacks to riot at the drop of a hat over police racism, even if they know it didn't happen and they know the white cop was morally in the right. Black leaders say they want "power" so they can "stick it to the man". Some of them even want a race war.
A doped up white kid shoots up a black church killing innocent black people. A white women risks her life after she spots him and trails him directing the police to arrest him. White cops risk their lives to make that arrest. White people all over the country send money to the black families harmed by this nut job. A most likely white jury is going to convict him of his crimes. Whites can't do anything right.
According to the demigods enthroned at Sodom on Potomac what white America needs is to give up our guns and flags that remind of freedom. Interestingly no blacks are rioting over this shooting. The one time a white person actually engages in a racially motivated crime, no one wants to take to the streets in a violent attack on the privileged whites.
Actual violent racism, as opposed to the kind that Rachel Dolezal fights against, is scary stuff and prompting a race war and fighting the man is a good fund raiser slogan for Rev. Al (what church does he preach for again) Sharpton, but a really bad idea when whites might shoot back.
Speaking of ancient civilizations destroyed by a fascination for butt sex and other lawless behavior: the Supreme (only in its own imagination) Court of the (once but not for much longer) United States checked their brains at the gay bar before ordering a collective lobotomy from their health (lack of) care provider.
No matter what a group of black robed dictators say, marriage is between a man and a women. Period.
So is all of this going to bring about the end of the world?
I doubt it. That doesn't mean that the United States is going to be around in 50 years, or even 25. This week the US officially ceased to be a Christian Nation. Many thought that happened with Roe V Wade, myself included. After all how much worse could it get? We now know. Unless we repent, we are going to face the same judgment that every other hedonistic culture has. We will decline.
I have no idea if the decline will be violent and fast, or a slow slouching towards sleaze, disease and atrophy. In the long run all cultures die. Western civilization American style is gasping for breath and going down for the third time.
There is no mention of the United States, or of any people group that can even remotely be ascertained as belonging to The West (new world) in either Revelation or any of the other books of Biblical prophecy. I don't think its because 400 million of us get raptured. It's because we will have long since ceased to be relevant.
As Susan indicated in the comments of the last post, its been an interesting week.
There is evidence that the Whitehouse is directing private enterprises to ban the sale of the Stars and Bars, also known as the Confederate Battle Flag. Apparently this flag is "hurtful" to a significant number of Americans.
I'm not sure the root cause of the hurt. This flag wasn't thought of as hurtful in 1866. The conquering Union Army did not ban it during or after reconstruction. It was not thought of as harmful or degrading by those who were actually enslaved prior to 1865.
The children of black slaves didn't object to the flag, nor did their children, or theirs or even the generation of blacks after that. It would appear that this outrage is a newly acquired phenomenon. There has been no legal institutional racism against blacks in this country in my life time. In fact for over 45 years blacks in America have had the exact opposite of anti-black racism. They have enjoyed affirmative action and direct money transfers from whites. Call it wealth distribution or welfare either way white Americans paid money to black Americans, for what no one is exactly sure.
We are told that the word "nigger" is the most offensive thing a black person can be called. I can count on one hand how many times I have heard a white person say it in a degrading manor in the last 20 years. For the last 15 years I have been in the company of rednecks. Yet "nigger" is how blacks talk about themselves.
Another thing I find interesting about America's racial situation: It is OK for mobs of blacks to attack helpless whites to beat and rob them. It happens frequently enough that now it hardly makes mainstream national news. It's OK for blacks to riot at the drop of a hat over police racism, even if they know it didn't happen and they know the white cop was morally in the right. Black leaders say they want "power" so they can "stick it to the man". Some of them even want a race war.
A doped up white kid shoots up a black church killing innocent black people. A white women risks her life after she spots him and trails him directing the police to arrest him. White cops risk their lives to make that arrest. White people all over the country send money to the black families harmed by this nut job. A most likely white jury is going to convict him of his crimes. Whites can't do anything right.
According to the demigods enthroned at Sodom on Potomac what white America needs is to give up our guns and flags that remind of freedom. Interestingly no blacks are rioting over this shooting. The one time a white person actually engages in a racially motivated crime, no one wants to take to the streets in a violent attack on the privileged whites.
Actual violent racism, as opposed to the kind that Rachel Dolezal fights against, is scary stuff and prompting a race war and fighting the man is a good fund raiser slogan for Rev. Al (what church does he preach for again) Sharpton, but a really bad idea when whites might shoot back.
Speaking of ancient civilizations destroyed by a fascination for butt sex and other lawless behavior: the Supreme (only in its own imagination) Court of the (once but not for much longer) United States checked their brains at the gay bar before ordering a collective lobotomy from their health (lack of) care provider.
No matter what a group of black robed dictators say, marriage is between a man and a women. Period.
So is all of this going to bring about the end of the world?
I doubt it. That doesn't mean that the United States is going to be around in 50 years, or even 25. This week the US officially ceased to be a Christian Nation. Many thought that happened with Roe V Wade, myself included. After all how much worse could it get? We now know. Unless we repent, we are going to face the same judgment that every other hedonistic culture has. We will decline.
I have no idea if the decline will be violent and fast, or a slow slouching towards sleaze, disease and atrophy. In the long run all cultures die. Western civilization American style is gasping for breath and going down for the third time.
There is no mention of the United States, or of any people group that can even remotely be ascertained as belonging to The West (new world) in either Revelation or any of the other books of Biblical prophecy. I don't think its because 400 million of us get raptured. It's because we will have long since ceased to be relevant.
6/26/2015
GFF- Good Boys
Texas-AKA the Massachusetts of the south has some interesting practices like jailing 75 year-old women for having too much grass, and I don't mean marijuana. Riisel Texas officials apparently have nothing better to worry about than tossing old people in jail for lawn violations.
RIESEL,Texas (KWTX) -
But it doesn't end there.
RIESEL (June 11, 2015)
You and your brothers are enacting some of the very principles that made this country great. Pushing that mower around in the hot sun might not seem like an act of moral fortitude, but it is. The rational for the lawn mowing ordnances in your town isn't the issue. The issue is that old folks shouldn't be treated disrespectfully, especially not in America.
You boys are being better men than the ones that run your town. Keep it up! One day you'll be grown. Keep doing what you are doing now and make a habit of it. Then we'll have four young men who will be fit to run Riesel in the future.
RIESEL,Texas (KWTX) -
An arrest warrant for a Central Texas women ends with an act of kindness from four brothers.
On Tuesday, the Reynolds boys saw News 10's report about Gerry Suttle, the 75-year-old Riesel woman who has a warrant out for her arrest because her grass was too high.
Even though they didn't know Suttle, they decided to load up their mowers and come mow her lot.
"We haven't met her yet but she's 75 years old and she needs some help mowing," said Blaine Reynolds. "That's the least we could do."
Once the brothers got started, others in the community joined. Together, they were able to mow the entire lot in about two hours.Somebody's been raising the Reynolds boys right. A couple of mowers, and a can of gas is all it took to get other folks in the community behind them.
But it doesn't end there.
RIESEL (June 11, 2015)
Problems continue between an elderly woman and the city of Riesel as they issue another summons to appear because of her lawn.
News 10 reported her situation on Tuesday and on Wednesday a group of boys who saw the report, but didn't know Suttle, decided to mow her lawn for her.
On Thursday Suttle received a notice to appear before a judge in the city of Riesel concerning weeds/grass/brush/rubbish on her property.
"Just leave me alone," Suttle said. "I've lived here 59 years. I don't know how much longer I've got to live here."
The summons doesn't say which property Suttle is being summoned for.
She owns the lot across the street, which was the original area the city had problems with and that the boys mowed on Wednesday.
She also owns the property where her home is.
News 10 reached out to the city multiple times by phone and stopped by city hall to give them a chance to tell their side of the story and explain the most recent summons.
Those calls were not returned.I wonder why nobody called the TV News reporter back. If the second notice was a mistake, all they had to do was say so. Anyway back to our heroes:
Once Suttle signed the documents the warrant would be dropped. However, on Thursday she received the summons.
"It is very heartbreaking to see that someone that I didn't even know came out and spent two hours in the sun doing what we thought the city wanted done and then them turn around and say 'no,'" Suttle said.
The Reynolds brothers who mowed her lawn said the city's decision is disappointing.
"It doesn't feel good that we did all that work in the hot sun and now that lady still has to go to court," Brandon Reynolds said.
But the brothers, in their helpful spirit, offered to mow the grass again.
"I'd do it for her a second time, or a third time," Blaine Reynolds said. "Anything to keep that lady from having to go to court."That's right Blaine, do what's right. If that's not enough keep doing what's right.
You and your brothers are enacting some of the very principles that made this country great. Pushing that mower around in the hot sun might not seem like an act of moral fortitude, but it is. The rational for the lawn mowing ordnances in your town isn't the issue. The issue is that old folks shouldn't be treated disrespectfully, especially not in America.
You boys are being better men than the ones that run your town. Keep it up! One day you'll be grown. Keep doing what you are doing now and make a habit of it. Then we'll have four young men who will be fit to run Riesel in the future.
6/24/2015
LEARN CHINESE
| English Phrase | Chinese Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Are you harboring a fugitive? | Hu Yu Hai Ding? |
| See me A.S.A.P. | Kum Hia Nao |
| Stupid Man | Dum Gai |
| Small Horse | Tai Ni Po Ni |
| Did you go to the beach? | Wai Yu So Tan? |
| I bumped into a coffee table | Ai Bang Mai Ni |
| I think you need a facelift | Chin Tu Fat |
| It's very dark in here | Wai So Dim? |
| Has your flight been delayed? | Hao Long Wei Ting? |
| Unauthorized execution | Lin Ching |
| I thought you were on a diet | Wai Yu Mun Ching? |
| This is a tow away zone | No Pah King |
| I got this for free | Ai No Pei |
| I am not guilty | Wai Hang Mi? |
6/21/2015
My Father's Day
The very first thing this morning, I received a Happy Father's Day text.
I have been examining my conscience diligently today because of the text. My wife has never sent me a text. I seldom text anyone. My kids are too young to text.
I have no idea who sent it.
I don't recognize the phone number it came from and I don't think I even know anyone in that area code, or even that state.
So do I respond?
I have been examining my conscience diligently today because of the text. My wife has never sent me a text. I seldom text anyone. My kids are too young to text.
I have no idea who sent it.
I don't recognize the phone number it came from and I don't think I even know anyone in that area code, or even that state.
So do I respond?
6/19/2015
GFF-Historic
On this yesterday in history:
Columbia Records began the first mass production of the 33-rpm LP (long playing) record. The new format could contain 23 minutes of music per side versus the three minutes that could be squeezed on a 78-rpm disc, the standard of the day. Columbia president Edward Wallerstein wanted to hear an entire symphonic movement of one side of an album and cajoled a team of a thousand men to bring it into being. (1948) Read More
If you remember listening to your favorite music on either a 78 or a 33 you are closer to one age group in our next story than the other one.
The Clean Cut: Seattle retirement home doubles as preschool
Columbia Records began the first mass production of the 33-rpm LP (long playing) record. The new format could contain 23 minutes of music per side versus the three minutes that could be squeezed on a 78-rpm disc, the standard of the day. Columbia president Edward Wallerstein wanted to hear an entire symphonic movement of one side of an album and cajoled a team of a thousand men to bring it into being. (1948) Read More
If you remember listening to your favorite music on either a 78 or a 33 you are closer to one age group in our next story than the other one.
The Clean Cut: Seattle retirement home doubles as preschool
With the help of children, one Seattle hospital is trying to combat the loneliness that often accompanies aging.
At Mount St. Vincent, the Intergenerational Learning Center houses a nursing home and a preschool, where the children receive care and attention from the elderly, and the elderly feel a renewed sense of worth.When I was a kid they had a unique phrase that described this phenomena: "going to grandma's". Going to grandma's was regarded as the highlight to any week for everyone concerned. The grandparents loved it, after all they got to see me. I loved it, I go to see them, do fun stuff and it was nearly impossible for me to do wrong. My parents always seem to be happier afterwards to. Although come to think of it that might have something to do with how I got my brother and sister.
6/18/2015
Cheering for Murder
Once upon a time, in a civilization far, far away ... there was a legal concept known as semi-private administration of justice. Some call it vigilantism or taking the law into your own hands. Some called it "might makes right". Whatever you call it, it was a common practice and one that still resonates with men.
It isn't always possible to both know exactly what the truth is and be able to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt to a court of law. Which means it isn't always possible to get justice, at least not through proper channels.
He killed a cop, a man who by virtue of his employment is above the law. This cop abused his position of trust in the community and prayed on little boys. There was nothing Clark could do about it when he was 8 or 9 or 10 or 11 or 12 years old. NOTHING! There wasn't a single member of your office who would have believed him, or his friends. Not then, not now, not ever. Because the criminal was a cop, there will almost never be justice in these instances, unless it's privately administered.
Which is what happened. When cops and lawyers are corrupt there is no "proper channel" that a citizen can turn to, but that doesn't mean that there can't be justice. When justice comes people cheer, because they know that nobody would have believed 8 year old Clark, but they believe him now.
It isn't always possible to both know exactly what the truth is and be able to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt to a court of law. Which means it isn't always possible to get justice, at least not through proper channels.
“From the time I was 8 years old until I was 12, I was sexually assaulted and raped by Dennis Pegg,” said Clark Fredericks, a former scout who spoke in a tense Newton, New Jersey, courtroom about the reasons for his killing.
Part of the reason Fredericks said he kept silent was because he didn’t think anyone would believe him, due to Pegg’s police badge, and part was due to fear.
“Dennis Pegg controlled me by torturing and killing animals in front of me, saying he would do the same to me if I told anyone about our secret,” Fredericks said.
“I started stabbing Dennis,” Fredericks said. “I said, ‘How does it feel raping little kids now. It’s not so fun raping little kids now, is it?’ At the end, I slit his throat.”
The courtroom broke into applause after Fredericks finished testifying, shocking the prosecutor, NBC New York reported.Let me explain it to you Mr. Prosecutor.
He killed a cop, a man who by virtue of his employment is above the law. This cop abused his position of trust in the community and prayed on little boys. There was nothing Clark could do about it when he was 8 or 9 or 10 or 11 or 12 years old. NOTHING! There wasn't a single member of your office who would have believed him, or his friends. Not then, not now, not ever. Because the criminal was a cop, there will almost never be justice in these instances, unless it's privately administered.
Which is what happened. When cops and lawyers are corrupt there is no "proper channel" that a citizen can turn to, but that doesn't mean that there can't be justice. When justice comes people cheer, because they know that nobody would have believed 8 year old Clark, but they believe him now.
6/17/2015
Bleeding Heart
I realize I'm starting to sound like a bleeding heart liberal in my old age. I don't know if my libertarian leanings are taking over, or if the complete lack of common sense in our bureaucracy is just sending me over the edge.
Male Teen Has Consensual Sex with Female Teen. He Gets 25 Years as Sex Offender, Banned from Internet.
Facts of the case:
Male 19 meets Female online. The decide to "hook up" which means they both wanted to have casual sex. The girl told the boy she was 17. She wasn't, she was 14. The girl has epilepsy and when she didn't come home on time her mom called the police thinking that there was a medical reason for her being late. The cops busted the kids and now the boy's life is ruined.
One other fact: The girl and her mother asked the court to drop the case because they admit full responsibility for the deception and the consensual nature of the "hook up".
I'm not in favor of kids having casual sex. I understand the need to protect young people from older people who are seeking to use them sexually. This case wasn't one of a predator seeking out his pray. This is a case of two kids wanting to "do it". He thought she was attractive and she was into attracting an older guy.
The plot of the crime revolves around a 8th or 9th grade girl who wanted to see if she could bed a college guy. The college freshman (being a computer major) probably didn't have tons of chicks hanging on him at school and a cute 17 year old is a legitimate score. Two teenagers wanted to get lucky with what they thought was a great catch. That's the crime. Two kids wanting to screw and now one of them has to do 25 years on the sex offenders list and have no access to the internet or computers.
I can't see any justice in this. Does that make me a bleeding heart liberal?
In Res's perfect world we would promote marriage. By promote it I mean we would encourage young adults who have reached sexual maturity to get married. As a society we would expect it of them.
People want to have sex. This starts at puberty not age 30. The ancient cultures recognized this. They planned for it. They incorporated it into the culture and the expectations of the young. When the time came, the parents helped set the kids up and got them going in their new life together.
Instead of a hook up, what if our 19 year old and 14 year old had met on line and they were honest about their desires? What if the parents had arraigned for the kids to get married?
If they had married, she would have achieved her status lay. Her girl friends would be jealous. She would have succeeded in getting her man and he would be a smart college guy with a future in a growing industry. Life would have been equally attractive for him as well. Regular sex with a horny teenage girl is it's own reward.
Depending on how careful our two lust birds were, it might be a couple of years but they will slip up and get pregnant. Once you get started having kids there isn't any real reason not to have a couple more. Kids do lots of things for a marriage. For a guy it can really sober you up and get you focused on providing. For a women it can really change the focus to her children. These things are net positives for both the couple and society as a whole.
One other benefit, you can't go to jail for having sex with your wife.
Maybe I'm not a liberal after all. I don't want teenagers to go to jail if they have sex. I just want them to get married first. That doesn't make me a conservative either. I guess that makes me a retrogressionist. I need a better word for it.
Male Teen Has Consensual Sex with Female Teen. He Gets 25 Years as Sex Offender, Banned from Internet.
Facts of the case:
Male 19 meets Female online. The decide to "hook up" which means they both wanted to have casual sex. The girl told the boy she was 17. She wasn't, she was 14. The girl has epilepsy and when she didn't come home on time her mom called the police thinking that there was a medical reason for her being late. The cops busted the kids and now the boy's life is ruined.
One other fact: The girl and her mother asked the court to drop the case because they admit full responsibility for the deception and the consensual nature of the "hook up".
I'm not in favor of kids having casual sex. I understand the need to protect young people from older people who are seeking to use them sexually. This case wasn't one of a predator seeking out his pray. This is a case of two kids wanting to "do it". He thought she was attractive and she was into attracting an older guy.
The plot of the crime revolves around a 8th or 9th grade girl who wanted to see if she could bed a college guy. The college freshman (being a computer major) probably didn't have tons of chicks hanging on him at school and a cute 17 year old is a legitimate score. Two teenagers wanted to get lucky with what they thought was a great catch. That's the crime. Two kids wanting to screw and now one of them has to do 25 years on the sex offenders list and have no access to the internet or computers.
I can't see any justice in this. Does that make me a bleeding heart liberal?
In Res's perfect world we would promote marriage. By promote it I mean we would encourage young adults who have reached sexual maturity to get married. As a society we would expect it of them.
People want to have sex. This starts at puberty not age 30. The ancient cultures recognized this. They planned for it. They incorporated it into the culture and the expectations of the young. When the time came, the parents helped set the kids up and got them going in their new life together.
Instead of a hook up, what if our 19 year old and 14 year old had met on line and they were honest about their desires? What if the parents had arraigned for the kids to get married?
If they had married, she would have achieved her status lay. Her girl friends would be jealous. She would have succeeded in getting her man and he would be a smart college guy with a future in a growing industry. Life would have been equally attractive for him as well. Regular sex with a horny teenage girl is it's own reward.
Depending on how careful our two lust birds were, it might be a couple of years but they will slip up and get pregnant. Once you get started having kids there isn't any real reason not to have a couple more. Kids do lots of things for a marriage. For a guy it can really sober you up and get you focused on providing. For a women it can really change the focus to her children. These things are net positives for both the couple and society as a whole.
One other benefit, you can't go to jail for having sex with your wife.
Maybe I'm not a liberal after all. I don't want teenagers to go to jail if they have sex. I just want them to get married first. That doesn't make me a conservative either. I guess that makes me a retrogressionist. I need a better word for it.
Don't Step on the Ducks
Three guys die together in an accident and go to heaven. When they get there, St. Peter says, "We only have one rule here in heaven - don't step on the ducks."
So they enter heaven, and sure enough, there are ducks all over the place. It is almost impossible not to step on a duck, and although they try their best to avoid them, the first guy accidentally steps on one. Along comes St. Peter with the ugliest woman he ever saw. St. Peter chains them together and says "Your punishment for stepping on a duck is to spend eternity chained to this ugly woman!"
The next day the second guy steps accidentally on a duck, and along comes St. Peter, who doesn't miss a thing, and with him is another extremely ugly woman. He chains them together with the same admonishment as for the first guy.
The third guy has observed all this and not wanting to be chained for all eternity to an ugly woman, is very, very careful where he steps. He manages to go months without stepping on any ducks, but one day St. Peter comes up to him with the most gorgeous woman he has ever laid eyes on - - very tall, beautiful, and blonde. St. Peter chains them together without saying a word. The guy remarks, "I wonder what I did to deserve being chained to you for all of eternity?
She says, "I don't know about you, but I stepped on a duck."
So they enter heaven, and sure enough, there are ducks all over the place. It is almost impossible not to step on a duck, and although they try their best to avoid them, the first guy accidentally steps on one. Along comes St. Peter with the ugliest woman he ever saw. St. Peter chains them together and says "Your punishment for stepping on a duck is to spend eternity chained to this ugly woman!"
The next day the second guy steps accidentally on a duck, and along comes St. Peter, who doesn't miss a thing, and with him is another extremely ugly woman. He chains them together with the same admonishment as for the first guy.
The third guy has observed all this and not wanting to be chained for all eternity to an ugly woman, is very, very careful where he steps. He manages to go months without stepping on any ducks, but one day St. Peter comes up to him with the most gorgeous woman he has ever laid eyes on - - very tall, beautiful, and blonde. St. Peter chains them together without saying a word. The guy remarks, "I wonder what I did to deserve being chained to you for all of eternity?
She says, "I don't know about you, but I stepped on a duck."
6/16/2015
The Third Rule....
The first rule for living in Detroit is... don't live in Detroit.
The Second rule for living in Detroit is... don't even go to Detroit to visit. I'm serious don't even go to SE Michigan to visit. You wouldn't go near a pit full of rattle snakes, why would you get any closer to Detroit than you had to?
After disregarding the first two rules I can't really think your going to pay attention to this one, but I'll try.
The third rule for living in Detroit is...have a gun, on you at all times.
Armed Detroit women fight back during 2 attacks in 2 days
In the first case they women was at home in bed and was woken up by 5 men breaking into her home. She defended herself firing her side arm at her attacker. She took fire from the attackers and was hit in the leg. They ran off before the police arrived.
Take away lesson: Always fight back. You may get hit or injured but always fight back. In the seconds prior to the fight our hero took a post position in a doorway to defend herself. From there she exchanged gun fire. While it would have been difficult for her to retreat, the fact that she posted up gave her a small amount of structure to rely on. In this case she had a slight advantage of partial concealment and perhaps a place to lean and support herself while shooting. Police think she may have hit one or more of her attackers. It is unlikely that they knew they had hit her with one of their shots.
The second case doesn't give us as many details to review. What we do know is that it was a car jacking by an armed 16 year old. He had a gun and fired when the women he was robbing decided to shoot him in response to his attempt at armed robbery. Latter he was arrested at the hospital where he went for treatment of his gun shot wound.
In both cases the women shot and they were shot at. In both cases the bad guys ran away when confronted with serious armed resistance. Which brings us to the forth rule for living in Detroit:
Always fight back and keep fighting till the enemy retreats.
The Second rule for living in Detroit is... don't even go to Detroit to visit. I'm serious don't even go to SE Michigan to visit. You wouldn't go near a pit full of rattle snakes, why would you get any closer to Detroit than you had to?
After disregarding the first two rules I can't really think your going to pay attention to this one, but I'll try.
The third rule for living in Detroit is...have a gun, on you at all times.
Armed Detroit women fight back during 2 attacks in 2 days
In the first case they women was at home in bed and was woken up by 5 men breaking into her home. She defended herself firing her side arm at her attacker. She took fire from the attackers and was hit in the leg. They ran off before the police arrived.
Take away lesson: Always fight back. You may get hit or injured but always fight back. In the seconds prior to the fight our hero took a post position in a doorway to defend herself. From there she exchanged gun fire. While it would have been difficult for her to retreat, the fact that she posted up gave her a small amount of structure to rely on. In this case she had a slight advantage of partial concealment and perhaps a place to lean and support herself while shooting. Police think she may have hit one or more of her attackers. It is unlikely that they knew they had hit her with one of their shots.
The second case doesn't give us as many details to review. What we do know is that it was a car jacking by an armed 16 year old. He had a gun and fired when the women he was robbing decided to shoot him in response to his attempt at armed robbery. Latter he was arrested at the hospital where he went for treatment of his gun shot wound.
In both cases the women shot and they were shot at. In both cases the bad guys ran away when confronted with serious armed resistance. Which brings us to the forth rule for living in Detroit:
Always fight back and keep fighting till the enemy retreats.
Coffee With Black
The Dread Ilk blogger formerly known as Black was in town a couple of Saturdays ago. We got together for coffee. Incidentally it was the first cup of coffee I had in 15 years, talk about a buzz. What happened at the coffee shop gave me a different reason to feel good, beyond the bean rush.
The girl working the counter at the coffee shop took my money and as she was making change she noticed something wasn't right. She seemed alarmed. Apologizing she offered to give me different change because mine "didn't sound right".
I took the handful of change she offered me. It did have a different sort of "clinking" sound. This made me very happy. I instantly knew what the sound was. It was the sound of a silver coin.
She had given me a genuine 1964 quarter. Unfortunately she didn't have more.
The coin was the topic of conversation with the girls working the counter. I had to explain that it sounded different because it was actually money. I'm not sure they got it, but I tried. Cup of coffee $3. 1964 quarter 90% silver, received as change $3.50.
Last week I went through Black's town and called him up. I wanted to see if he was still good luck. Who knows maybe somebody would slip me a $5 gold piece thinking its a penny or an odd colored dime.
He wasn't into helping me line my pockets with silver or gold, something about "date night". Anyway if you get a chance to have coffee with Black take him up on it, the conversation is good and you might get lucky with the girl giving you your change.
The girl working the counter at the coffee shop took my money and as she was making change she noticed something wasn't right. She seemed alarmed. Apologizing she offered to give me different change because mine "didn't sound right".
I took the handful of change she offered me. It did have a different sort of "clinking" sound. This made me very happy. I instantly knew what the sound was. It was the sound of a silver coin.
She had given me a genuine 1964 quarter. Unfortunately she didn't have more.
The coin was the topic of conversation with the girls working the counter. I had to explain that it sounded different because it was actually money. I'm not sure they got it, but I tried. Cup of coffee $3. 1964 quarter 90% silver, received as change $3.50.
Last week I went through Black's town and called him up. I wanted to see if he was still good luck. Who knows maybe somebody would slip me a $5 gold piece thinking its a penny or an odd colored dime.
He wasn't into helping me line my pockets with silver or gold, something about "date night". Anyway if you get a chance to have coffee with Black take him up on it, the conversation is good and you might get lucky with the girl giving you your change.
6/15/2015
How It Should Be
I'm of the opinion that social ostracization is a far better tool for managing the ills associated with drug use, than our current police state. I think this way for a couple of reasons. The first is that self discipline is a more effective tool than threats of force. The second is that people make their own choices. Yes those choices can be influenced by others, but ultimately the individual chooses. The third reason is that the maker of the choice bears the cost, or receives the benefit from the choice.
When our society choses to lock up people for drug use, who bears the cost? The tax payer. When we increase police activity to catch drug users who pays the cost? The tax payer. What about other costs, like the increased police activity and harassment of innocent citizens, whom the police are scrutinizing in an effort to find more drug users? Everyone pays that cost. Who receives a benefit? Nobody.
America is unique in its founding as a Christian nation. The intentional cultural component of the Christian faith as an aspect of civil government and society influenced how we expect our society should function. In the 1960's we allowed our court system to begin dismantling that cultural component. We were told that "losing up" would solve many of our problems.
We have now had over 100 years of prohibition against marijuana in various states. We have had over 40 years of deliberate distancing from our cultural foundations. We've had "the war on drugs" for over 30 years. Nothing has worked.
We legislated morality. We still had some people (mostly immigrants in the beginning) use pot. We liberalized our social mores and removed the religious component from our society, even more people smoked pot. We ramped up the War On Drugs and still, people are smoking pot.
All we have gotten for our efforts, is reduced personal freedom, increased enforcement costs, and a waste of tax payer money to try to keep people from smoking pot. Lets try something new. Lets decriminalize personal possession and use. That will reduce our cost as a society. Then let anyone who wants to discriminate against pot users. Like in this story:
When our society choses to lock up people for drug use, who bears the cost? The tax payer. When we increase police activity to catch drug users who pays the cost? The tax payer. What about other costs, like the increased police activity and harassment of innocent citizens, whom the police are scrutinizing in an effort to find more drug users? Everyone pays that cost. Who receives a benefit? Nobody.
America is unique in its founding as a Christian nation. The intentional cultural component of the Christian faith as an aspect of civil government and society influenced how we expect our society should function. In the 1960's we allowed our court system to begin dismantling that cultural component. We were told that "losing up" would solve many of our problems.
We have now had over 100 years of prohibition against marijuana in various states. We have had over 40 years of deliberate distancing from our cultural foundations. We've had "the war on drugs" for over 30 years. Nothing has worked.
We legislated morality. We still had some people (mostly immigrants in the beginning) use pot. We liberalized our social mores and removed the religious component from our society, even more people smoked pot. We ramped up the War On Drugs and still, people are smoking pot.
All we have gotten for our efforts, is reduced personal freedom, increased enforcement costs, and a waste of tax payer money to try to keep people from smoking pot. Lets try something new. Lets decriminalize personal possession and use. That will reduce our cost as a society. Then let anyone who wants to discriminate against pot users. Like in this story:
Whoa, dude! Pot smokers weeded out from jobs
Personally I wouldn't have fired the man involved in this story, but I'm not his boss. The employee who used the drug is the one bearing the greatest cost. Which is how it should be. We don't need cops running around enforcing laws and protecting us from victimless crime.
Lest I be accused of being heartless towards a quadriplegic, I'm not. I think he should be able to use any substance to ease his legitimate medical condition. I think they should make an exception for medical use of all substances and protocols. However, I'd rather see this guy lose his job than see him doing 2 to 10 on a drug conviction.
Personally I wouldn't have fired the man involved in this story, but I'm not his boss. The employee who used the drug is the one bearing the greatest cost. Which is how it should be. We don't need cops running around enforcing laws and protecting us from victimless crime.
Lest I be accused of being heartless towards a quadriplegic, I'm not. I think he should be able to use any substance to ease his legitimate medical condition. I think they should make an exception for medical use of all substances and protocols. However, I'd rather see this guy lose his job than see him doing 2 to 10 on a drug conviction.
6/12/2015
GFF-Doing What You Can
Four stories touched me this week as being genuine examples of Good Folks doing Good Stuff.
The first story is pretty awesome because of the technology and coordination that is required to make it all happen.
Marathon 18-Patient Kidney Swap Saves Nine People
Imagine someone you know and love needs a kidney. You want to give them yours. Unfortunately its not a match. Some other family is in the same predicament. They have a family member that's willing to give up a kidney but they aren't a match either. Here's the cool part, they are a match for someone else and you are a match for someone and so on. The way the deal works is everyone's family trades a good kidney to someone who needs it and in exchange gets a new kidney for there loved one.
Jack Andraka was a normal 15 year old kid, who wanted to find an early detection tool for pancreatic cancer. He had a friend who died of it and he wanted to do something to help detect and treat the disease sooner. He had a great idea and is working hard to see if that idea can become a life saving tool. Not bad for a kid who just turned 18 this year.
Our third story this week involves a unique situation, and a degree of character.
Homeless Man Reunited w/ Inheritance Thanks to Good Samaritan and Police
A homeless man comes into some cash and loses not one but two bags containing the money. Someone else finds the money and instead of stuffing their pockets hands it over to the cops. The cops, instead ofstuffing their pockets enhancing department revenue with potentially illicit funds, actually tried to find out who the money belonged to and did reuniting the man with his money.
The forth example for GFF is by far the most awesome. No, it doesn't top 18 people surgery for complexity and coordination. It's not as potentially life saving as teenage Jack Andraka's idea for cancer detection. The amount of money is nowhere near as big as the homeless and his bags of cash.
The reason this story is a big deal, and even a bigger deal in some ways compared to the other stories, is that its a GFF everyone can and should do.
Waitress Picks Up the Tab, Gives Restaurant the Credit
Kayla Lane waits tables for a living. She says she's good with names and people. Your better waitresses are. They remember you and little details of your life and are good at making small talk and remembering your usual order.
This time she got busted. I'm glad she did. I'm glad because her little contribution to the worlds supply of goodness is something we all can do. I'm not ever going to be able to preform a bunch of life saving surgery's. I'm not inline to cure caner. You don't find bags of money laying around everyday, and if I did, I'd want to keep it.
You do get to drop a couple of bucks in that jar. You know the jar. It's the one on the counter of the convenience store where you buy beer and lottery tickets. It's for the family with the sick kids, or that lost their home, or that have some sad story. If you got $10 for the lottery you damn sure got $10 for some kid with cancer. "How do I know its really going for...?", you may ask. How do you know its not?
If the can says "American Red Cross" or "Salvation Army" or some big name professional money machine, its a scam. If its a hand written note, that looks like a scared 19 year old mother of two who doesn't know how she is going to face tomorrow, wrote it, take the chance.
I've gone and turned GFF into a sermon. I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not. We don't get to do the big GFF stuff. We do get a shot at the small stuff and I'm going to start pulling the trigger more often. Flirt with the plain girl. Buy the drink for the guy at the bar having a bad day. That women, you know the women, the one with 4 brat kids acting up. Her brats have been out of control since she walked in and sat down. It would have been a perfect lunch if she hadn't showed up. That women, the one who deserves it least, pick up her tab and pay it. She is having a bad day, and you can make it a little better.
For a bonus, skip out before they know you did it.
The first story is pretty awesome because of the technology and coordination that is required to make it all happen.
Marathon 18-Patient Kidney Swap Saves Nine People
Imagine someone you know and love needs a kidney. You want to give them yours. Unfortunately its not a match. Some other family is in the same predicament. They have a family member that's willing to give up a kidney but they aren't a match either. Here's the cool part, they are a match for someone else and you are a match for someone and so on. The way the deal works is everyone's family trades a good kidney to someone who needs it and in exchange gets a new kidney for there loved one.
Jack Andraka was a normal 15 year old kid, who wanted to find an early detection tool for pancreatic cancer. He had a friend who died of it and he wanted to do something to help detect and treat the disease sooner. He had a great idea and is working hard to see if that idea can become a life saving tool. Not bad for a kid who just turned 18 this year.
Our third story this week involves a unique situation, and a degree of character.
Homeless Man Reunited w/ Inheritance Thanks to Good Samaritan and Police
A homeless man comes into some cash and loses not one but two bags containing the money. Someone else finds the money and instead of stuffing their pockets hands it over to the cops. The cops, instead of
The forth example for GFF is by far the most awesome. No, it doesn't top 18 people surgery for complexity and coordination. It's not as potentially life saving as teenage Jack Andraka's idea for cancer detection. The amount of money is nowhere near as big as the homeless and his bags of cash.
The reason this story is a big deal, and even a bigger deal in some ways compared to the other stories, is that its a GFF everyone can and should do.
Waitress Picks Up the Tab, Gives Restaurant the Credit
Kayla Lane waits tables for a living. She says she's good with names and people. Your better waitresses are. They remember you and little details of your life and are good at making small talk and remembering your usual order.
Shaun and Debbie Riddle were surprised she remembered them this afternoon. They hadn’t been by for a while. She also remembered their newborn daughter, Glory, and asked about her.
“They kind of looked at each other and were very silent,” said Lane. “We said, ‘Well, she passed away four weeks ago,'” said Shaun.
At the end of the couple’s meal, the waitress slipped them a receipt with a simple message.
“Your ticket has been paid for. We are terribly sorry for your loss. God Bless. – The West Side.”I don't know what lunch for two costs at the West Side Café, maybe $20 or $30 tops. I'm sure that's more than Kayla Lane makes per hour. Regardless Kayla picked up the tab. When the folks she did it for tried to refuse, she lied and said the company had done it. Apparently this is a pattern of behavior for Ms Lane. It seems she buys lunch for people who are in the service, or down on their luck and has a system worked out so she can get away with it and not get caught.
This time she got busted. I'm glad she did. I'm glad because her little contribution to the worlds supply of goodness is something we all can do. I'm not ever going to be able to preform a bunch of life saving surgery's. I'm not inline to cure caner. You don't find bags of money laying around everyday, and if I did, I'd want to keep it.
You do get to drop a couple of bucks in that jar. You know the jar. It's the one on the counter of the convenience store where you buy beer and lottery tickets. It's for the family with the sick kids, or that lost their home, or that have some sad story. If you got $10 for the lottery you damn sure got $10 for some kid with cancer. "How do I know its really going for...?", you may ask. How do you know its not?
If the can says "American Red Cross" or "Salvation Army" or some big name professional money machine, its a scam. If its a hand written note, that looks like a scared 19 year old mother of two who doesn't know how she is going to face tomorrow, wrote it, take the chance.
I've gone and turned GFF into a sermon. I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not. We don't get to do the big GFF stuff. We do get a shot at the small stuff and I'm going to start pulling the trigger more often. Flirt with the plain girl. Buy the drink for the guy at the bar having a bad day. That women, you know the women, the one with 4 brat kids acting up. Her brats have been out of control since she walked in and sat down. It would have been a perfect lunch if she hadn't showed up. That women, the one who deserves it least, pick up her tab and pay it. She is having a bad day, and you can make it a little better.
For a bonus, skip out before they know you did it.
6/10/2015
IT PAYS TO WEAR SEAT BELTS
A California policeman pulled a car over and told the driver that because he had been wearing his seatbelt, he had just won $5,000 dollars in the statewide safety competition.
"What are you going to do with the money?" asked the policeman. "Well, I guess I'm going to get a driver's license," he answered.
"Oh, don't listen to him," yelled a woman in the passenger seat. "He's a smart aleck when he's drunk."
This woke up the guy in the backseat, who took one look at the cop and moaned, "I knew we wouldn't get far in a stolen car."
At that moment, there was a knock from the trunk and a voice said, with a Spanish accent, "Are we over the border yet?"
"What are you going to do with the money?" asked the policeman. "Well, I guess I'm going to get a driver's license," he answered.
"Oh, don't listen to him," yelled a woman in the passenger seat. "He's a smart aleck when he's drunk."
This woke up the guy in the backseat, who took one look at the cop and moaned, "I knew we wouldn't get far in a stolen car."
At that moment, there was a knock from the trunk and a voice said, with a Spanish accent, "Are we over the border yet?"
6/09/2015
Blast From the Past or Child Abuse?
"And you of tender years, can't know the fears that your elders grew by"
Or their music.
My kids are at an age where I get to be silly. Today the silliness drove me to show them some YouTube videos of Weird Al Yankovic. I thought he hilarious in the 80's and his parodies never get old.
The kids weren't sure about it. My son thought the Star Wars stuff was cool. My daughter was less than amused by "Girls Just Want to Have Lunch". It might have had something to do with her complaining that she was hungry and I need to fix her something to eat for lunch. I believe she said she was starving.
I thought it was funny.
Or their music.
My kids are at an age where I get to be silly. Today the silliness drove me to show them some YouTube videos of Weird Al Yankovic. I thought he hilarious in the 80's and his parodies never get old.
The kids weren't sure about it. My son thought the Star Wars stuff was cool. My daughter was less than amused by "Girls Just Want to Have Lunch". It might have had something to do with her complaining that she was hungry and I need to fix her something to eat for lunch. I believe she said she was starving.
I thought it was funny.
6/05/2015
GFF “Operation Choose Joy”
This is what courage looks like:
Since cancer is such a cheery topic I'll do one more from the great frozen Cannuckistan.
Car Mechanics Made Sure We Could Always Get Our Daughter To Hospital
Robyn Willson says she’ll always remember her mother’s cancer treatments as “something that we enjoyed.” That’s because she and her mother decided to make chemotherapy fun.
After learning that her mother had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, Robyn decided that the two of them would dress up in different costumes each time Carla had to go in for a chemotherapy treatment.
Carla passed away May 29– and she was in costume.
Robyn says she knew cancer would take her mother one day, but it will never take the laugh-filled memories they made every time they played dress up.Memento Mori!
Since cancer is such a cheery topic I'll do one more from the great frozen Cannuckistan.
Car Mechanics Made Sure We Could Always Get Our Daughter To Hospital
I believe most parents of kids with cancer would agree that there are an infinite number of stresses in this life of childhood cancer. Yet there were so many strangers that came into our lives who seemed to understand what we were going through.
Having lost our jobs, living on the generosity of others is scary. We didn’t live in the city so anytime our vehicle made an odd noise or we knew it needed repairs, I felt sick. The first time we took our van in to get fixed after her diagnosis, I chewed on my finger nails knowing how little money we had, yet having a way to get her to the hospital was paramount.
So there I stood in front of the counter waiting to hear the total “damage” – I knew it would be over a thousand dollars.
But Dave handed me the keys and when I asked how much it was, he said not to worry about it– they looked after it.That's pretty much the whole story. Dave and Chris from Ballymote Auto in Ballymote, Ontario keep that old junker running, free of charge. That means every time the car made an odd noise or something was amiss they just fixed it for free. They donated their time and the cost of the parts and the lost opportunity cost from not working on paying customers cars just because a sick kid needed to be able to get to the hospital.
6/03/2015
Quick Question
I know this is a bit off the wall but I've got something coming up that I'm prepping for and would be interested in hearing different POV's.
When it comes to eschatology, what are the top 3 or 4 issues that you see as most important for someone who is just starting to examine the subject? I know that's kind of basic so if you want to opine on the top 3 or 4 issues that are important to understanding the subject on a more advanced level that's OK too. You could list it both ways if you like too. Please let me know if you are approaching the question from a basic or advanced POV.
Thanks.
When it comes to eschatology, what are the top 3 or 4 issues that you see as most important for someone who is just starting to examine the subject? I know that's kind of basic so if you want to opine on the top 3 or 4 issues that are important to understanding the subject on a more advanced level that's OK too. You could list it both ways if you like too. Please let me know if you are approaching the question from a basic or advanced POV.
Thanks.
PROVERBS by CHILDREN
A first grade teacher collected well-known proverbs. She gave each child in her class the first half of a proverb and asked them to come up with the remainder of the proverb. Their insight may surprise you.
Better to be safe than ... punch a 5th grader.
Strike while the ... bug is close.
It's always darkest before ... Daylight Savings Time.
Never underestimate the power of ... termites.
You can lead a horse to water but ... how?
Don't bite the hand that ... looks dirty.
No news is ... impossible.
A miss is as good as a ... Mr.
You can't teach an old dog new ... math.
If you lie down with dogs, you'll ... stink in the morning.
The pen is mightier than the ... pigs.
An idle mind is ... the best way to relax.
Where there's smoke there's ... pollution.
Happy is the bride who ... gets all the presents.
A penny saved is ... not much.
Two's company, three's ... the Musketeers.
Don't put off till tomorrow what ... you put on to go to bed.
Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and ... you have to blow your nose.
Better to be safe than ... punch a 5th grader.
Strike while the ... bug is close.
It's always darkest before ... Daylight Savings Time.
Never underestimate the power of ... termites.
You can lead a horse to water but ... how?
Don't bite the hand that ... looks dirty.
No news is ... impossible.
A miss is as good as a ... Mr.
You can't teach an old dog new ... math.
If you lie down with dogs, you'll ... stink in the morning.
The pen is mightier than the ... pigs.
An idle mind is ... the best way to relax.
Where there's smoke there's ... pollution.
Happy is the bride who ... gets all the presents.
A penny saved is ... not much.
Two's company, three's ... the Musketeers.
Don't put off till tomorrow what ... you put on to go to bed.
Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and ... you have to blow your nose.
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