Supreme Court Injustice - A Note to our President

The war is engaged. Sandra Day O'Conner resigns. Here's what to keep in mind.

1. We elected you George W Bush because we wanted to see the court changed for the better
2. We elected senators and representatives of a conservative nature for the same reasons
3. Our court needs to become more judicial and less activist
4. When liberals controlled and control the congress and the presidency they elect who they darn well please
5. It's our turn at bat.

So, President Bush, elect the person you think will best execute Supreme Court justice and don't be pushed around by the likes of Ted Kennedy. O'Conner won't be the last in your term as President. I predict at least 2 more. Bite the bullet now and elect the people you should.

They'll hate you anyhow. So WHAT. Nobody ever kicks a dead dog. It's impossible to make peace with the left anyhow.

That's why we voted you in.

Go For It.

Booster Rockets in Life

Some people are a booster rocket for you, and sometimes you are a booster rocket for others. With you for a while and then they drop away or drop you away. Not out of spite, not out of anger but out of necessity. A booster rocket becomes a burden if it stays too long. Todd Beery told me that years ago. I never forgot it.

Last night a booster rocket from my past called. Merrill Oster. We talked a little business and a lot of Jesus. It was wonderful.

I would not be where I am for good or bad without his brief boost in my life. I hope in some way I was that for him.

I think of many good men and women who were booster rockets for me. Bob, Dan, Claire, Earl, Loehle, Steven, and many others.

I hope I have been a booster rocket to others. I get letters and emails from people who make that claim. I’ll take it.

I still have fuel in the old tank. I continue to look for opportunities to saddle on and boost until my usefulness is finished. I want to do this until I die.

I do mourn for the old days sometimes when I was a booster for someone and then the relationship passed. But I look forward to the new ones.

Ol Zig Ziglar said, you'll get everything you want in this life when you help enough other people get what they want.

Need a boost?

Why Iraq is such a Conundrum

The history of Iraq is a history of the world in microcosm.

This Historical perspective is reviewed here.

• God Creates the heavens and the Earth Billions of years ago, He creates life. He creates Beings. Some Human like, others mysterious and unknown today.
  
• A great catastrophe happens, all life is destroyed. Earth Desolate and Dark 80,000BC
• God restores light, life, creates the new Garden of Eden and Man in the garden. 15-25000 years ago
• Adam and Eve emerge from the Garden between the Tigris and Euphrates 5800bc
  
• Ancient peoples live in the area and many migrate away from there 5800-3640BC
• The great flood takes place 3637bc Mesopotamia Flood legends hold this date as well
  
• The climate changes radically. 3600-3500bc A garden becomes a desert.
• Prosperity and population increases from Noah's offspring 3600-3100bc
  
• The tower of Babel is built. 3100bc
• Peoples are dispersed worldwide along with a knowledge of God. 3100BC-2340bc
• The land of Iraq (Sumerians) comes under contention Sargon and the Arkadian Empire 2340bc
  
• Abraham is instructed to leave the county of Ur which is still in Iraq. 2100bc
  
• More wars. Babylonian empire 1. Hammarabi 1700bc
• Nebecanezzer 1 takes control 1119-1098bc Babylon reigns
  
• Chaldeans conquert the area of Mesopotamia (Iraq) 800BC and rule until thd Assyrians
  
• The Assyrians posses part of the land for a while and then lose it back to the Persians. 700bc
  
• The capital city of Nineveh capital of Assyria is warned by Jonah to repent. 652bc
  
• It does for a while 652-620 It backslides
  
• Ninevah is destroyed in BC 612..
• Persia takes control briefly (Darius) then loses it. 595bc
  
• Kings of Babylon emerge.Nebecanezzer takes much of Israel and Judah into captivity 604-562bc
  
• Babylon built up on the Tower Ruins 582BC
  
• When Babylon falls Jews return to Israel 525bc
  
• Iraq falls back into civil war and is conquered several times 500-200bc
  
• For 900 + years Iraq becomes part of the Persian Empire (Iran) 200bc-700ad
  
• 7th century Persia loses Iraq to the Muslims who conquer the land
• Various Muslim Kings and Caliph’s rule 700-1500ad
  
• Turkmen conquer Iraq and hold it from 15th century until early 20th
• The British invade Mesopotamia and take it from the Turkish Ottoman Empire in war. (not the same as Turkmen who are from Turkmenistan area) 1912
  
• British carve up the country'’s oil reserves leaving nothing for the Iraqi'’s 1920
  
• The Kurds are promised a homeland but get nothing. 1933
  
• The British set up puppet rulers. 1921-1958 Several reign and fall
• 1945 Iraq joins the UN (still basically a British protectorate)
• Kuwait spits off of Iraq which was a “State” up till then 1961
  
• Rebellion hits. Jordan is involved. The rulers are killed, hung, butchered 1961-1970
  
• 1961 Independence from Britain for Iraq
• 27 military coups. Bathists in Bathists out. Bakar takes control 1965
  
• Saddam Hussein emerges and succeeds Bakur in 1979
• 1980-88 Iran Iraq war. Over Land. Iran tries to take Iraq. War ends Iraq Broke.
• Flat Broke, he goes for broke, Saddam invades Kuwait to take it back.
• Gulf war. 1990
  
• UN Sanctions completely destroy economy 1991-2000
  
• Iraqi War 2003
• Saddam Toppled 2003
  
• 2005 First Free Elections.

You know the rest

I bore you with all this to say, this is a land that has been under a long cursed history. There is no peace. There never has been. Countries in order who have some actual rights to it are 1. Turkey 2. Iran 3. Jordan

All of these things are unintended consequences for meddling and greed particularly on the part of the British. In the past it has been about oil.

But, for the first time in HISTORY the potential of a self-governed people exists. It has never ever happened before, nor has such a chance ever been.

If it works, perhaps the curse will be broken. Long view starts in the Garden of Eden. If you ever have any trouble reading the Old Testament, study Iraqi history and then Study many of the books of the Old Testament. Much took place on this bloody ground. It reads like a newspaper.

I believe that this war and its aftermath is metaphysical and prophetic in scope. Far beyond what any news talking head can grasp. Read Revelations, consider Germany and Japan'’s emergence in power after WWII. Then consider Iraq.

Babylon Babylon.

Read your Bible, it'’s true.

War has Never Solved Anything

Except

• The end of slavery and the maintenance of the union was solved by war.
• The Struggle to free the colonies in America from British Domination was solved by war.
• The Potential domination and oppression of Europe by Germany in the early part of the 20th century was solved by war.
• The Second attempted domination of Europe and Great Britain by the Nazis of Europe was solved by war.
• The Power Grab by Japan of the Far East and bringing a cruel oppressive regime into the 20th century to become a great economic power was solved by war.
• The attempted Land Grab of Kuwait by an evil Dictator in Iraq was solved by the Gulf War.
• The Genocide in former Yugoslavia was solved by war.

Sometimes War is the last solution when all else fails. Once you (we) pull the trigger we cannot turn back until victory is complete. OR we invite another tyrant or zealot to attack us once again.

And now, we are at war, not on our soil by our choice, to stop this war of terrorism from being on our soil once more. This evil must be stopped, wiped out and made an example of. The other nations who watch must understand that we will not allow ourselves to live under the tyranny and fear that stateside terrorism brings. We will find them, we will kill them and we will allow a people to be free. Not in their interests but in our own. Tyranny must be crushed.

War is not THE answer, it’s not THE solution, it’s the only thing that will work when the world no longer does.

We cannot back down.

We must prevail.
We will prevail.
We will prevail.

God Bless President Bush. Pray for him.

The Modern Lawn

The other day I was visiting a friend of mine who runs a garden center near here. He is 80 years old and a joy to be with. We were talking about he “Olden Days”. Something I do more than I used to.

With the severe drought and hot weather we have had in Northern Illinois we are seeing long established trees dying and shrubs drying up. There will be a huge replanting boom for those of us in the business.

I hate to see a tree die. None in my yard are (except one).

One offshoot of the drought is the grass. The city of Chicago has given up trying to keep the grass green. Keep the trees and shrubs alive and let the grass go brown. Good policy.

The only thing in our lawn that’s still green is the clover. You know, that low growing stuff, little white pom poms for flowers.

In the late 40’s and 50’s people planted clover for their lawns. You never have to mow it. It stays green all summer. It kills out any other plants (weeds). It’s pretty if you like that kind of thing. And if you look hard enough you just might find a 4 leafer and your luck will change.

In Ellendale where I grew up there were several lawns that were pure clover. My friend at the garden center still sells a fair amount of clover seed to people who have begun putting in clover lawns again.

So, lets see, a weed free lawn, never turns brown, never needs mowing and is all green all year long. Why don’t we all have clover lawns? I’ll tell you why.

2-4D. I remember when it was introduced in the 50s. It was a miracle. Spray it on your crops and all the mustard goes away.

This article helps understand why The Modern Lawn. you see in commercials isn’t such a good thing. Those boys in shorts bragging about their perfect lawns in the Scott’s commercials aren’t doing themselves or anyone else any good. It always irritates me.

I love diversity in my lawn. My wife Peggy loves it less than I do. Give me 40 or 50 various things growing in among the grass and I’m happy. She likes grass.

Well, it’s not normal. I’m not some organic nut. I spray roundup and I kill dandelions with 2-4D in a spot application. But the years we had Chem-Lawn come around and make our lawn a uniculture I think were bad years.

Grass wasn’t meant to be green all year long. Dormancy is a good thing. Grass shouldn’t be just one kind.

The chemicals we treat out lawns with are not harmless.

Oh by the way, we no longer have clover lawns because 2-4D came in and it killed the clover when you sprayed for weeds in your grass.

So, now we have GRASS as far as the eye can see except at the Redlins. I keep reclaiming the sod for perennial beds a little at a time. Eventually we won’t have to mow at all.

I’m looking over, a 4-leaf clover that I’d overlooked before………….

I Missed the Whole Parade

We just had our Gay Pride parade in Chicago. I wasn’t in it. I missed it on TV. It would have been rated XXX. I’ll recover.

I have a few questions if anyone cares:

• Is anyone but me sort of sick in the gut of all this I’m more out than you are stuff?
• When is the last time you hung out your genitalia and bragged of being more heterosexual than anyone else?
• Isn’t it stupid or is it just me that every TV news team has to make an appearance now or be considered close minded?
• Is a parade that has nudity in spades, simulated (or maybe not so simulated) sex acts and large floats of phallic symbols raise just a question or two in your mind?
• Heterosexuals have some displays of sexuality and other things. Mardi Gras comes to mind. But, this is that times 50. Is that OK with you?
• Isn’t some of this just in your face-ism and not a good time as they might claim?
• Is this a sign of a good healthy civilization or is it something far less?

If you have the answers to all this please help me understand. I know and care deeply about many friends who are part of this lifestyle choice. I know enough to know that Gay is far from the way I would describe it. In fact depressed and prickly is the real moniker.

So, lets call it for what it is. The I’m Depressed and Prickly Pride Parade.

Signing up anyone?

Hillary for President

The Story hitting the press tonight which in essence has Billy Graham endorsing Hillary Clinton for President (even if it's a little tongue in cheek).

The truth is many people of faith and even many conservative thinking people are taking a hard look at Hillary. Why? Because she has guts. Something missing in most politicians today.

I think the train has left the station and unless it's derailed we better get ready to say Madame President. Other than Conde Rice the conservative flavor have no one of equal stature or conviction. I have looked hard and I don't see ANYONE on the horizon. McCain is DOA. He has too much baggage and has been weak. Someone would have to come out of the woodwork to give Hillary a run for her money.

So hang on to your hats. Hillary is on a roll.

Public Radio Lament

OK, I admit, this is one of those I remember when posts. It was 1973. I was near Grand Forks ND on a sales call. I was tuning around the radio dial trying to avoid both kinds of music, country and western and happened across an AM frequency with dink da dink da dink…. All things Considered with Susan Stamberg. In fact in 1976 I visited NPR studios in Washington DC and met Susan and Bob Edwards. I’ll never forget it. When a story was done Susan would say, bring up the “dinks”. Dink Dink Dink………

I was a hardcore fan. Clever, intelligent, insightful, right questions. Public Radio became my friend. A few years later I began faithfully following the woes of Lake Woebegon. Went to live shoes. Bob Edwards morning edition with Red Barber. Wow. I matured with these folks and love them today.

I pretty much listened ONLY to public radio. When KDSU (North Dakota State’s campus radio) went full power and they began to play very alternative acoustic stuff I was hooked.

So other than owning a Volvo (which my brother Steve did, he let me drive it) I was a classic NPR nerd. I even owned a corduroy jacket with leather elbow patches.

But like religion Public Radio began to change or maybe I did. It began to take a position. It began to advocate. It began to see it’s franchise as balancing the right wing in this country. Younger more liberal outspoken voices moved in.

All Things Considered still does great. Morning Edition does OK. Weekend Morning Edition (Saturday with Scott Simon) is good. But Sunday Edition with Leanne Hansen, Diane Reems, and several others have just lurched to the far left nuthouse.

Oh they have their apologist ombudsman who is on Talk of the Nation with Neil Conen who is supposed to allay fears that they are left leaning. NOT!

So now the feces has hit the fan. Public broadcasting is about to enter the free market. I’m not sure this is good. I’m not sure this is bad. I am sure this means (as Adam said to Eve as the left the Garden of Eden) things are going to change.

Here’s what I hope. Housecleaning of really leftist types. We can live without them. Others more mainstream working harder for balance. When balance is needed try harder to get voices from the right who really represent the right. I’m constantly irritated by the religious voice being some pinhead without faith from a school of theology at an Ivy League college. They know nothing about God.

Now when they have their pledge drives I’ll feel better about sending money. I have up until now felt like a pagan co conspirator supporting evil liberal public broadcasting. They have been blatant in promulgating a view I abhor and I send them money. Come on PBS, make me feel better about supporting you. I won’t feel like I’ll have to wear a mask or send it anonymously.

And, lets see some exits of leftist, pro gay, pro abortion, anti religion folks and get a little more in the center. OK?

I was there before you were, who moved? You can do better.