No Smoking Nazis Hurt Non Smokers

I have a friend who owns a bar. We have the nannystatism disease in Illinois. The nosmokenazis have made it a 250 dollar fine for smoking anywhere indoors in IL. Anywhere. That means bars, restaurants, anywhere. Oh, I lied, one exception is tobacco stores. You can smoke in them.

The net result is that the business in the bar is way off. Way off. I asked him, what that means, he said, people come in for a beer but they don't linger or stick around like they used to. So, a beer or a drink and then it's off to home.

It's also illegal to smoke in cars if a child is present. It's still legal to smoke in your home. They haven't gotten around to that yet.

Now, to be clear, I'm not involved. Don't spend much time in bars. This whole thing doesn't affect me. But I hate the nannystate. I know that those of you who dislike Mike Huckabee will point out that he wanted to have a nationwide smoking ban. I'm not a one issue voter so even though I don't agree with him, that doesn't disqualify him in my view.

How far will they take us if we don't say no to the nannystate. I wore blue underwear today. Is that the right color nanny?

This stinks far worse than smoke ever did..

What the Republican Party doesn't understand about Huckabee

Peggy Noonan in the Wall Street Journal regarding Huckabee's win in Iowa says of Huckabee's supporters:

the thing really pushing his supporters, is that they believe that what ails America and threatens its continued existence is not economic collapse or jihad, it is our culture.

They have been bruised and offended by the rigid, almost militant secularism and multiculturalism of the public schools; they reject those schools' squalor, in all senses of the word. They believe in God and family and America. They are populist: They don't admire billionaire CEOs, they admire husbands with two jobs who hold the family together for the sake of the kids; they don't need to see the triumph of supply-side thinking, they want to see that suffering woman down the street get the help she needs.

They believe that Mr. Huckabee, the minister who speaks their language, shares, down to the bone, their anxieties, concerns and beliefs. They fear that the other Republican candidates are caught up in a million smaller issues--taxing, spending, the global economy, Sunnis and Shia--and missing the central issue: again, our culture. They are populists who vote Republican,

I am one of these people. It's about abortion, it's about gay marriage and it's about an evil culture that doesn't work anymore.

The Republican party keeps telling me, Rush Limbaugh keeps saying, Hugh Hewitt keeps pronouncing, NO, you are wrong, things are just fine. Vote for more of the same an it'll be OK.

I'm not buying it. Neither are gazillions of motivated voters like me. We want mercy. We want Justice and fairness. We want judges to issue righteous judgment, not the buffoons who sit on benches across the land. We will vote our conscience but we won't vote for a pro abortion democrat and only under great duress would vote for a pro abortion republican like Romney or Gulliani.

If anyone thinks for a second that this attitude isn't resonating across America right now you are blind. This is 1992. This is 1980. Things look terrible to many. Trying to happy talk populists into thinking things are OK is a losers strategy. It didn't work in 1992 and it won't work now.

Something is rotten in American, something is rotten in the Republican Party and if we as republicans are unwilling to address those problems with determination we will lose the election to the Dems and deserve to do so.

Even if Huckabee doesn't get the nomination he has framed a message that fiscal conservatives need to hear.

In the opinion of people motivated to vote, America is rotting from the inside out and needs a serious operation. Like a cancer diseased things must be removed. Infections must be drained. Tax cuts and illegal immigration policy are sideshows to the real problems in America.

So, you decide fellow Republicans, either you will get with the zeitgeist that Huckabee has identified or lose to the democrats. Edwards is the pro abortion other side of this populist wave. There are Edwards supporters who would vote for Huck because of abortion. Lots of them. We used to call them Reagan Democrats. But we abandoned them long ago.

I will still support almost any Republican candidate. Early on I was a Thompson supporter. He lost me on his 15th yawn. I want a candidate who gives a rats behind about this country and this election. I don't want some technician with gravitas who is determined to keep the status quo that isn't working.

I wish we had a real candidate who understands the situation. Till then, I like MIKE.

50 things Eric Zorn Learned at 50

Eric Zorn is a columnist in the Tribune. Not always do I agree with him, but today on his 50th birthday he published 50 things he has learned.

Here are a few that I agree with a lot:

1. It’s better to sing off key than not to sing at all.
3. You can’t avoid offending people from time to time. When you don’t mean it, apologize. When you do mean it, accept the consequences. (I Blogged that just the other day)
21. Fear of failure is a ticket to mediocrity. If you’re not failing from time to time, you’re not pushing yourself. And if you’re not pushing yourself, you’re coasting.
24. If you’re in a conversation and you’re not asking questions, then it’s not a conversation, it’s a monologue.
26. Great parents can have rotten kids and rotten parents can have great kids. But even though biology plays a huge role in destiny, that’s no excuse to give up or stop trying.
29. When something that costs less than $200 breaks and it’s not under warranty and you can’t fix it yourself in half an hour, it’s almost certainly more cost-effective to throw it out.
31. Physical attraction is nice, but shared values and a shared sense of humor are the real keys to lasting love.

The whole list Eric Posted is good, but even more interesting are the comments.

What is important to you?

The man who reminds you of your co-worker, not the guy who laid you off.

Good Stuff From Kevin, Worth the Read:

The man who reminds you of your co-worker, not the guy who laid you off...

Posted by: Kevin McCullough at 11:54 AM

WGA writers helping Huckabee's cause!

The general feeling in MuscleHead HQ this morning is that the slight up tick that Huckabee is showing in the polls this morning (nearly 2% at RCP) could possibly due to his performance last night on Jay Leno. Even critics of Huckabee's "he's not quite as conservative as us" politics indicated that his appearance last night, though short on policy jargon generated some quite cool images of candidate.

Several observed that Kevin Eubanks, and the rest of the African American band members on Leno's stage were "in the pocket" as they jammed with the Governor.

As you know this blog has written equally praiseworthy and critical posts concerning three of the major players in Iowa - Mitt, Fred, and Huck. I will not be making an endorsement in the GOP race for 2008.

What did strike me as interesting however is the delicate balance between Romney and Huck. So similar in policy positions. Both well qualified - and proven executive branch managers. Pointy brains like the fact that Mitt has pulled the Bain school of strategy formula into Presidential campaigns. But many more WalMart shoppers across the nation have an unexplainable connection to the common sense humanity that Huck is offering.

If the general election were to come down to black church goers in Ohio - as it did in 2004 - and the Dems candidate is Clinton, Obama or Clinton/Obama - wouldn't be nice to have on the ticket the candidate who could connect to the 6 out of every 100 black church goers or even perhaps increase it to 12 or 15?

AMEN KEVIN

Winter Scenes out my front door

Winter time in Illinois can be cold and dark. Today it was just cold. Below zero tonite. In IL that's a big deal.

Snow is deep and beautiful.

This first is my back yard with evergreens I planted 9 years ago that were 6' tall. Look at them now.



This is my neighbor's house across the street. He's 75 and goes dancing twice a week. A widower. Lives alone.



This is the entrance to Gene's backyard nursery site. I have about 2000 plants sitting back there.


It's going to get over 50 on Sunday and Monday. We already bought the brats. The snow from the old barbie will about be melted then.


Here's what it looks like when there is no wind, Snow piles straight up. We got almost 10" of global warming.



Here's our house with a Serbian spruce planted in the front yard.


Here's our friend's John and Ann's house. John used to trade stocks but now they sell statue of St. Joseph as religious icons. Great business Ann got from her late dad. Stay at home and sell religious items. Great idea.


Look at how much snow is on top of the junipers over my well. It' heavy old stuff. I'm glad I didn't have to shovel out the drive. I have a snowblower. Her name is Peggy.



But she didn't clean off my pickky. It's OK, I'm not going out in any nurseries or making any deliveries any time in the next couple months.


This is a bird house out our back window in our bedroom where we can watch the birds nest. Too much snow to nest right now.


I like winter, but spring is less than 75 days away. The snow is great to cover the roses and container plants in the back yard.

I'm looking forward to sitting outside in the sun on Sunday.

Somebody has a deaf ear, and I don't think it's me

I just heard Pat Robertson's prophetic word for 2008.  It couldn't be more different from what I published yesterday.  One of us had too much Pizza. 

 

So, I decided to do a little detail on his last year's pronouncement.  He was wrong almost 100%.

 

I wasn't. One of us heard from God, one didn't.

 

Pat Robertson is famous, I'm a peanut.  Pat Robertson has a TV program, I have a blog.  Pat Robertson is a big time political player who endorsed Rudy for Pres.  I Like Mike.

 

I don't dislike Pat, even if find him pretty gloomy most of the time, I guess that's how he makes his money, scaring hell out of people.  Whatever works.  I do get just a bit irritated with his "Advice".  He is mercurial.  Buy stocks has been his mantra for the last two years, now it's buy gold and commodities and get your money into Swiss francs.

 

I don't get him.  Please don't pile on, I know he is a controversial figure.  But as soon as the transcript of his prophetic utterance is published I am going to stand it next to what I believe I heard the Lord say.  Then, I'll wait and see.  I hate that idea.  I think we should live in the assurance and confidence the prophetic word provides.  "He who listens to the prophets will prosper" the word says.  I have been surveying other prophets I respect since I published the word for 2008. They are hearing what I'm hearing. I purposely fast reading anything any other prophet says while I listen quietly for the word of the Lord.  I don't want to be negatively influenced or positively influenced in my Spirit. 

 

I only know this, God will do what he will do, and he always tells his prophets what he is going to do before he does it.  I wonder when I see this wide a disparity in the prophetic between Pat and Me IF everyone who is called prophet in ministry is a prophet?  I'll stand on the last 4 years track records and say, OK, you decide.  I have already decided.

STOP USING THESE WORDS AND PHRASES ALREADY

Cliché-o-rama »

Throw These Under the Bus

Lake Superior State University’s 2008 List of Words Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness:

• perfect storm
• Webinar
• waterboarding
• organic
• wordsmith/wordsmithing
• author/authored
• post 9/11
• surge
• give back
• `blank’ is the new `blank’
• Black Friday
• back in the day
• random
• sweet
• decimate
• emotional
• pop
• It is what it is
• under the bus

I will add one of my own, "At the end of the day". I have been hearing that for 20+ years. I'm getting really tired of it.

Do you have any others??

Half Way Leadership

I got an annual comment regarding the word of the Lord. We'll see. I know this is a private joke. But, since I want no one to confuse the issue, I am going to set this straight right now before someone thinks that's an appropriate response to the prohetic.

If you don't like what I prophesy then find another genuine prophet of God and listen to him. Guess what, we will all say the same things. Why, because a true prophet of God says what God says. Even if there is some error it's better to hear what is said, judge and respond. Everything else is doubt and unbelief.

Leaders in the Body of Christ that choose NOT to believe the prophets or embrace what they say are only half leaders. they are established but not prosperous.

Jehoshaphat said, "Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established: believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper."
2nd Chronicles 20

A pretty good study on the leaders who ignore the prophetic. Led by sight and not by faith. Clearly not Godly or Biblical Leadership (except in the negative).

Or how about a leader who doesn't like prophecy because it's not "Convenient".

Although Jehoshaphat in a moment of weakness had rashly promised to join the king of Israel in his war against the Syrians, yet his better judgment led him to seek to learn the will of God concerning the undertaking. "Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord today," he suggested to Ahab. In response, Ahab called together four hundred of the false prophets of Samaria, and asked of them, "Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear?" And they answered, "Go up; for God will deliver it into the kings's hand." Verses 4, 5.

Unsatisfied, Jehoshaphat sought to learn for a certainty the will of God. "Is there not here a prophet of the Lord," he asked, "that we might inquire of him?" Verse 6. "There is yet one man, Micaiah to son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord," Ahab answered; "but I hate him" for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil." 1 Kings 22:8. Jehoshaphat was firm in his request that the man of God be called; and upon appearing before them and being adjured by Ahab to tell "nothing but that which

is true in the name of the Lord," Micaiah said: "I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace." Verses 16, 17.

The words of the prophet should have been enough to show the kings that their project was not favored by Heaven, but neither ruler felt inclined to heed the warning. Ahab had marked out his course, and he was determined to follow it. Jehoshaphat had given his word of honor, "We will be with thee in the war;" and after making such a promise, he was reluctant to withdraw his forces. 2 Chronicles 18:3. "So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead." 1 Kings 22:29.

During the battle that followed, Ahab was shot by an arrow, and at eventide he died. "About the going down of the sun," "there went a proclamation throughout the host," "Every man to his city, and every man to his own country." Verse 36. Thus was fulfilled the word of the prophet.

There is great danger in trusting circumstance and not the prophets.

Prophetic Word of the Lord for 2008

Every Year since I began blogging in 2004 I have published the word of the Lord for coming year on this blog. The reliability and accuracy of those prophetic statements amaze me. This year is no exception.

In the years before I provided what the Lord was showing me on an email basis to those with whom I was in relationship.

I don't do this for self aggrandisement but as a responsible Christ follower called to the Ministry of the Prophet. In fact by posting this I come in for a great deal of criticism and ridicule. I'm OK with that since when I review the lives of the Prophets of long ago they were ridiculed and criticized as well. I try hard to avoid watering down the word I receive. I never want to be like the bulk of the Prophets in Jeremiah's day prophesying popular prophecies. I don't make friends by the Prophetic and I certainly don't make money. I do this because it's like fire shut up in my bones. If I stop God will withdraw his spirit from me and I might not even be aware of it like Sampson of Old. I won't take that chance.

God mostly uses me to prophesy to his anointed leaders and then his people. I don't know why but it's a mantle that may rest because of where God has brought me from in peer relationship with leaders and those in leadership.

His purpose of the prophetic voice he has given me in is to assure, encourage and warn people of discernment of what is about to happen in the earth.

If you have an interest in seeing headlines for 2008 in advance, take a look at the Word of the Lord Published Today.

Review of the Prophetic Word for 2007

Without much comment I am posting the obvious things that were fulfilled prophetically in 2007 according to the word of the Lord.

You can Judge. Tomorrow I will post a link to the Word of the Lord for 2008.

Let he who has ears to hear, let him hear.

From the word for 2007:

2007 started off with warm weather. Predictors say it will be warm the rest of the year. As a poke in the ribs to worldly prognosticators, it will be very cold in latter part January and early February. It happened exactly that way

There will continue to be a great deal of rain in spring again around North America. Floods. This too is a prophetic sign of the latter rain. We will at the same time see an outpouring of the rain of God. At the same time, very dry areas are evidence of God starving people out. Happened exactly that way

The War in the Mid-East’s purposes will be discovered and reluctantly accepted by most of the population of the USA. The calls to withdraw from Iraq will silence as the evidence comes forth. Happened exactly that way

Islam is being revealed for it’s empty theology when radicalized, the price of compromise will be come clear, the true enemy and his demonic backer will be revealed. Is happening

The “Franchise System” (do what others do, or spend a lot of money on it to plant a Church) will fail. It failed long ago, it’s just that no one knew yet.
YES, Reveal from Willow Creek is this type

The inverse of last year will exist. Downward pressures because of external circumstances with occasional run-ups of the market. The deal the USA made with outside forces like China will come home to roost. The true cost of globalism will be felt in the economy, agriculture and dollar weakness. Happened that way

What will happen in 2007 with the Lame Ducks? I don’t see anything of consequence. There will be hue and cries about the war. There will be no account passage of bills like the minimum wage. People will get up and take bows. But, nothing much will happen. Perhaps this congressional majority is a demonstration of what vacuous leadership exists on both sides of the aisle. Certainly happened that way

Iraq is slowly becoming a country. 3000 deaths are a prophetic indicator of turn. yes

Iran will become less of a threat. It is

Afghanistan will remain in sectarian turmoil but stable. YES

God will not allow this false religion to prosper at the expense of his kingdom. He has and will continue to bring judgment and expose it for what it really is, empty religion and not the relationship he desires to have with those that believe. YES

there will be an acceleration of the closing of institutional churches in America. Nothing that doesn’t move according to the life of the Spirit of God will die. How far will God take this? I have no vision but it’s further than anyone imagines. Fastest in History

Those who are called to higher authority will be attacked by higher demonic authority. Has been huge, even by Government

There is deep darkness in this vision. The end of February to April something happens. It will cause many to lose heart, even in the Church. Prophets went silent for two months last year just like this

There will appear to be a long shadow on the horizon this year, but those who see the light and not the shadow will overcome and stand firm. Many hearts will fail for fear. There will be an acceleration of fear and a deepening of faith. Fear Fails - Faith Firms. The shadows are there, but they are false shadows

Google has made my life a bit better

There is a couple tips I want to pass along courtesy of Google.

 

First, I discovered (thanks to Tom Collins) Google Reader.  It's a fabulous tool for watching lots and lots of blogs.  I watch about 20.  It saves lots of time.  Try it.

 

Then, the customized home page for Google called IGoogle is tremendous.  I use it a great deal.  I have all the news feeds on it including the Forum.  Plus I'm watching earthquakes, I'm watching where UFO's are being reported, I'm keeping an eye on my Biorhythms, I watch the Snopes site to keep up with internet emails I will get soon, I watch the weather, plus daily Bible verses, reminders from God, a leadership quote of the day, where movies are playing plus I am able to keep up with the inbox from my hotmail account.

 

It is absolutely fabulous.  Try it.

 

The only bad thing is, I am starting to believe my Biorhythm Chart, my emotional and intellectual chart is really good, but physically I'm drifting according to my biorhythms.  I think I need a nap.

I need a TO DON'T List

NOTE TO SELF ON THE LAST DAY OF 2007

 

As the new year comes along there are many things on my To Do list:

• Finish and Publish "THE BOOK"
• Get my mailing out for the nursery
• Kick off the work on the Men's Retreat
• Clean up the Website for the nursery
• Come up with a better way to do the accounting
• Write my pamphlet on Major Market Church Planting
• Lose Weight or at least stop gaining
• Walk a Mile a Day
• Proactively up the fax list admits
• Do the Mailing for the Nursery
• Kick off publicity for Gates of Vienna
• Do live today while it is still day

 

To do all the the DO's on my list I need some TO DON'Ts

• Don't Blog so much (once per day is fully enough)
• Don't comment so much on other blogs
• Don't watch passive TV (look for something I don't care  about with the remote and settle on the least objectionable
• Don't eat so much stupid food and drink
• Don't watch so much negative news, who really cares what Keith Olberman thinks, he's an idiot
• Don't worry about tomorrow
• Don't hang on to yesterday.
• Don't worry about those who are angry with me, upset with me, irritated with me, frustrated with me, it really doesn't matter (a great line from Meatballs with Bill Murray).
• Don't forget to smell the flowers, to look at the leaves, the snow, the face of my wife and all the other beautiful things in my life.

 

Rejection and lack of appreciation are part of the deal.  Even ingratitude are normal stupid human tricks.  Don't allow yourself to be surprised by or blindsided by them.

 

Tell yourself the truth.  You can do more than you believe you can.  In fact one word, one thought, one idea, one concept, one inspiration, one belief can change everything.  Be part of it.  Believe.  Believe in God, believe in his belief in you.

 

Happy New Year Gene

We can't make fun of the nutcases who think Blowing people up and killing presidential candidates is a good idea

DO NOT LAUGH AT THE CRAZY EXPLOSIVE PEOPLE

“There’s nothing very funny about murderous fanaticism,” scolds Sydney Alternative Media. “It’s not really a fit subject for satire either from T shirts indicative of an immature carefree or frivolous attitude as here spotted at Bondi 27th Dec 2007 ...”



Oh, I don’t know. If you can’t laugh at murderous fanatics, what can you laugh at?

Posted by Tim B. on 12/30/2007 at 04:27 AM
(34) Comments • Permalink

Killing Creativity thru Chemistry

I was discussing art and artists one day with Kevin. He made the comment that the pain and depression they go thru helps drive the art they create. I didn't know if he was right. I know I write more passionately when something drives me to.

In any case, I have had friends who for various reasons were effective people but for some reason decided to start using prozac, zoloft and other mind control substances to help level their mood out.

I don't want any Van Gogh's I know to cut off their ears, but there is a place for a bit of anger, pain and mania to drive us creatively. I pity the poor person who suffers neither great joy, nor great sadness, who live in a constant flat line of mediocrity of an uncaring uncommitted, uninvolved aloofness from life that really never exists except in the netherworld of the drug.

This comic from Sunday's comics is sort of funny except its terribly sad. Kids in school, little kids who are active and alive are drugged with Ritalin because the schools want to feminize boys and control girls. We live in a horrible world if that is our future. No ups and no downs.

I have both. I hope you do too. Sometimes my ups are really up and my downs really down but they are alive vibrant and real. No drugs for me thank you.



Click to see full sized.