What I have to say about this is well covered by the newly elected governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, in this tape. It’s short but guaranteed to cause your heart to swell with pride to hear a Republican governor respond as he does to the reporter’s question. I am supplying this link to Ace of Spades and once there, scroll down to Thursday, 5/13 in the 8:34 AM time slot. Just click on the arrow and settle back for the finest two minutes in video.
It has been picked up by several of the regulars I read each day. Thanks to Knowledge is Power, Ace of Spades and Michelle Malkin. This is “must see” material. Incidentally, watch the aide’s response to the governor’s remarks; it is priceless.
In His abiding love,
Cecil Moon
Friday, May 14, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Got Some Time On Your Hands?
One of the problems for the average bear these days is his inability to relate to numbers in current usage. Oh certainly, our elementary school teachers did their best to encourage us to understand the relationship but they were hampered. We were unable to take the huge sums and relate them to practical application. We lived in a world of a dozen eggs, nine innings, a hundred yard football field and a nose that grew one additional inch if we told a lie. Even our age was in the high single digits.
As time went by, our numerical concepts increased as well. Dad bought the “new” place and that “section” was 640 acres, an area we knew well from plowing a single acre with a mule. It was also one square mile. The talk around the grange hall in 1940 was about the disgrace of the reported national debt of $42 billion, nearly a three time increase from the $16.1 billion just a decade previous. If you had it, you could buy a decent pick-up for $800.
Nothing has changed much in the intervening seventy years; teachers still teach, farmers still farm and Congress continues to increase the national debt. The major difference is the steep increase in the size of the numbers. For the teachers, the alarming drop in the level of educational achievement is the story. For the farmers, it is a combination of huge increases in yield per acre along with the constant battle against governmental controls. For the congress, it is a race to achieve whatever number it is which marks the next milestone after “trillion.”
Just exactly what do these “-ion” numbers mean? They are certainly not something you can count on your fingers. Why don’t we look at what it would take to count, out loud, to the easiest of the group—the million? As a standard, we shall assume that a workable situation would allow us to comfortably speak a single number per second on average. One person doing this would require sleep, sustenance, response to nature’s calls and other occasional refreshment. Therefore, our enumerator will work 12 and half hours a day, seven days a week, saying the numbers and have 11 and a half to take care of maintaining his health. By so doing, he would finish his assignment in exactly one year.
The next challenge is a little tougher. Using the same standard, counting to one billion would then require the next 1000 years. Had that person started counting in 1010 AD, he would now be finished and also be older than Methuselah. (ED. Perhaps, even older than Robert Byrd.)
Accomplishing this exercise with the increasingly popular trillion would take exactly one million years! By then the national debt, at its current rate of increase, would require a time frame older than the universe to express. Let us then be reminded that $1,000,000,000,000.00 is not just another 13 digit number but a practical example of government gone mad. By the way, can you say, “nine hundred ninety nine billion, nine hundred ninety nine million, nine hundred and ninety nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine” in one second. I tried it and it took 7 seconds so my examples may be a little shy of the actual requirements. You know, maybe a few million years short.
Hey, it’s only money—right?
In His abiding love,
Cecil Moon
As time went by, our numerical concepts increased as well. Dad bought the “new” place and that “section” was 640 acres, an area we knew well from plowing a single acre with a mule. It was also one square mile. The talk around the grange hall in 1940 was about the disgrace of the reported national debt of $42 billion, nearly a three time increase from the $16.1 billion just a decade previous. If you had it, you could buy a decent pick-up for $800.
Nothing has changed much in the intervening seventy years; teachers still teach, farmers still farm and Congress continues to increase the national debt. The major difference is the steep increase in the size of the numbers. For the teachers, the alarming drop in the level of educational achievement is the story. For the farmers, it is a combination of huge increases in yield per acre along with the constant battle against governmental controls. For the congress, it is a race to achieve whatever number it is which marks the next milestone after “trillion.”
Just exactly what do these “-ion” numbers mean? They are certainly not something you can count on your fingers. Why don’t we look at what it would take to count, out loud, to the easiest of the group—the million? As a standard, we shall assume that a workable situation would allow us to comfortably speak a single number per second on average. One person doing this would require sleep, sustenance, response to nature’s calls and other occasional refreshment. Therefore, our enumerator will work 12 and half hours a day, seven days a week, saying the numbers and have 11 and a half to take care of maintaining his health. By so doing, he would finish his assignment in exactly one year.
The next challenge is a little tougher. Using the same standard, counting to one billion would then require the next 1000 years. Had that person started counting in 1010 AD, he would now be finished and also be older than Methuselah. (ED. Perhaps, even older than Robert Byrd.)
Accomplishing this exercise with the increasingly popular trillion would take exactly one million years! By then the national debt, at its current rate of increase, would require a time frame older than the universe to express. Let us then be reminded that $1,000,000,000,000.00 is not just another 13 digit number but a practical example of government gone mad. By the way, can you say, “nine hundred ninety nine billion, nine hundred ninety nine million, nine hundred and ninety nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine” in one second. I tried it and it took 7 seconds so my examples may be a little shy of the actual requirements. You know, maybe a few million years short.
Hey, it’s only money—right?
In His abiding love,
Cecil Moon
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Putting Lipstick on the Pig!
What do you do when you are a huge national organization with a highly recognizable name and you find yourself rightfully accused of crime, deception, and immoral acts? It’s simple; you just change your name, go on about your business, and continue on the same path. This is the situation with ACORN. Some functions of the national organization and many of the state affiliates have taken that action to dis-associate with the well-earned bad reputation of the original organization.
At the national level, ACORN Housing Corp., Inc. has become “Affordable Housing Centers of America, Inc... The original which was largely responsible for the current housing market crisis is currently under investigation by HUD.
At the state level, we find the following equivalents:
AR – Arkansas Community Organizations
CA – Alliance of Californian’s for Community Empowerment (ACCE)
CT, MA, RI – New England United for Justice
LA – A Community Voice
MN – Minnesota Neighborhoods Organizing for Change
MO – Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment (MORE)
NY – New York Communities for Change
PA – Pennsylvania Neighborhoods for Social Justice and Pennsylvania Communities Organizing for Change
TX – Texas Organizing Project
WA – Organization United for Reform (OUR) Washington
There are a dozen states (AZ, CO, DE, FL, MI, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, SC, & TN) which have not as yet managed to come up with a new name.
Through it all, Project Vote, American Institute for Social Justice and Acorn Institute have not bothered with a name change at the national level.
I would suggest, to avoid confusion, that the list be carefully reviewed and in some cases committed to memory to avoid the fallacious thinking that their high sounding names are now attached to a legitimate organization. A new name is insufficient to wash away the past sins of these organizations.
In His abiding love,
Cecil Moon
At the national level, ACORN Housing Corp., Inc. has become “Affordable Housing Centers of America, Inc... The original which was largely responsible for the current housing market crisis is currently under investigation by HUD.
At the state level, we find the following equivalents:
AR – Arkansas Community Organizations
CA – Alliance of Californian’s for Community Empowerment (ACCE)
CT, MA, RI – New England United for Justice
LA – A Community Voice
MN – Minnesota Neighborhoods Organizing for Change
MO – Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment (MORE)
NY – New York Communities for Change
PA – Pennsylvania Neighborhoods for Social Justice and Pennsylvania Communities Organizing for Change
TX – Texas Organizing Project
WA – Organization United for Reform (OUR) Washington
There are a dozen states (AZ, CO, DE, FL, MI, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, SC, & TN) which have not as yet managed to come up with a new name.
Through it all, Project Vote, American Institute for Social Justice and Acorn Institute have not bothered with a name change at the national level.
I would suggest, to avoid confusion, that the list be carefully reviewed and in some cases committed to memory to avoid the fallacious thinking that their high sounding names are now attached to a legitimate organization. A new name is insufficient to wash away the past sins of these organizations.
In His abiding love,
Cecil Moon
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Show Me Your Papers!
In January, 2009, I made a delightful trip to Arizona to watch my daughter run in the Phoenix marathon (she finished!) and to do my “grandpa thing” in the desert Southwest. As is my habit, on such adventures, I am alone and drive until I sense the approach of fatigue, find a spot and retire to my sleeping space in the back of the Explorer. Don’t waste any thought of concern for my comfort because I have fashioned a standard mattress with normal bedding which has proven satisfactory at temperatures below freezing.
On my way back to the Ozarks, I left late in the evening on I-10, made the northbound turn at Las Cruces, New Mexico to the junction with east bound US 70 toward Alamogordo across the White Sands Missile Range. Under the waxing gibbous moon, the mountains and the playa were exceptionally beautiful in that light. Traffic was near zero and the ride put me in an especially good mood.
As I approached White Sands National Monument, at about 3 AM, I remembered as I saw the unnatural warning lights that there was an immigration check station ahead. As I approached, it seemed deserted but I dutifully came to a stop. Two officers came out with a German Shepard on a leash. The beautiful animal jumped up on the side of the car and I instinctively started to pet her through the window. As it slowly dawned on the officers that my overtures to the animal were unexpected and her reaction was untoward, they ordered her to get down and she reluctantly complied. She had great difficulty matching the detached business-like manner of the officers.
At that point one officer asked me to produce the usual paperwork. My driver’s license, registration, and the insurance card appeared to satisfy their requirements. Meanwhile, the other one was using his flashlight to examine the contents of the back of the SUV through the near opaque rear windows. Due to the bedding, baggage, golf clubs and other miscellany in the mess in the back he apparently felt further inspection was necessary. He asked if I minded if the dog did a search. I replied it would be a pleasure and opened the passenger side door and the dog jumped in. After a thorough “get acquainted” face licking by my new friend, they requested I leave the car and she then went into the back to discover that nothing which she had been trained to recognize was there.
Once her inspection was over and I had passed muster, I departed with a lasting memory of my encounter with that marvelous dog. By current standards I should have had some great resentment of the intrusion upon my privacy that the request for “my papers” should have fomented. Instead, I had thanked them for their procedures and willingness to man such a forsaken post in the middle of the night. In all, I found it reasonable and proper.
Had I been an illegal immigrant, I doubt I would have welcomed the intrusion.
Our country has changed in so many different ways in the abridgement of our liberties that I have little patience with those who mis-understand this historical alteration of our life. It is, in part, a result of our exploding population. Since the census less than two years before my birth (1932), we have gone from 123 million to a projected 320 million this year. The areas mentioned above had only been states for twenty years when I was born. Two other states (AK and HI) have been added since that date as well. In itself, the population boom has only exacerbated the problems of border enforcement. It would seem a hopeless enterprise to attempt to keep track of such a burgeoning population. Therefore, we may expect to hear those golden words, “show me your papers” ever more often. This is even more likely when the federal government demonstrates the cavalier attitude which is normal for them to exhibit. White Sands check point notwithstanding, our border security is extremely lax and hopelessly outnumbered.
Be assured that the protests to the recent Arizona law represent enforcement far milder than that I experienced in New Mexico by the ICE (INS.) We have little objection to the detention of those who run stop lights and break into our homes. The same people who commit those offenses are no more or less criminal than those who do not respect our borders. My hearty applause to the legislature of Arizona and Governor Jan Brewer for being willing to do a job that other Americans are unwilling to do.
In His abiding love,
Cecil Moon
On my way back to the Ozarks, I left late in the evening on I-10, made the northbound turn at Las Cruces, New Mexico to the junction with east bound US 70 toward Alamogordo across the White Sands Missile Range. Under the waxing gibbous moon, the mountains and the playa were exceptionally beautiful in that light. Traffic was near zero and the ride put me in an especially good mood.
As I approached White Sands National Monument, at about 3 AM, I remembered as I saw the unnatural warning lights that there was an immigration check station ahead. As I approached, it seemed deserted but I dutifully came to a stop. Two officers came out with a German Shepard on a leash. The beautiful animal jumped up on the side of the car and I instinctively started to pet her through the window. As it slowly dawned on the officers that my overtures to the animal were unexpected and her reaction was untoward, they ordered her to get down and she reluctantly complied. She had great difficulty matching the detached business-like manner of the officers.
At that point one officer asked me to produce the usual paperwork. My driver’s license, registration, and the insurance card appeared to satisfy their requirements. Meanwhile, the other one was using his flashlight to examine the contents of the back of the SUV through the near opaque rear windows. Due to the bedding, baggage, golf clubs and other miscellany in the mess in the back he apparently felt further inspection was necessary. He asked if I minded if the dog did a search. I replied it would be a pleasure and opened the passenger side door and the dog jumped in. After a thorough “get acquainted” face licking by my new friend, they requested I leave the car and she then went into the back to discover that nothing which she had been trained to recognize was there.
Once her inspection was over and I had passed muster, I departed with a lasting memory of my encounter with that marvelous dog. By current standards I should have had some great resentment of the intrusion upon my privacy that the request for “my papers” should have fomented. Instead, I had thanked them for their procedures and willingness to man such a forsaken post in the middle of the night. In all, I found it reasonable and proper.
Had I been an illegal immigrant, I doubt I would have welcomed the intrusion.
Our country has changed in so many different ways in the abridgement of our liberties that I have little patience with those who mis-understand this historical alteration of our life. It is, in part, a result of our exploding population. Since the census less than two years before my birth (1932), we have gone from 123 million to a projected 320 million this year. The areas mentioned above had only been states for twenty years when I was born. Two other states (AK and HI) have been added since that date as well. In itself, the population boom has only exacerbated the problems of border enforcement. It would seem a hopeless enterprise to attempt to keep track of such a burgeoning population. Therefore, we may expect to hear those golden words, “show me your papers” ever more often. This is even more likely when the federal government demonstrates the cavalier attitude which is normal for them to exhibit. White Sands check point notwithstanding, our border security is extremely lax and hopelessly outnumbered.
Be assured that the protests to the recent Arizona law represent enforcement far milder than that I experienced in New Mexico by the ICE (INS.) We have little objection to the detention of those who run stop lights and break into our homes. The same people who commit those offenses are no more or less criminal than those who do not respect our borders. My hearty applause to the legislature of Arizona and Governor Jan Brewer for being willing to do a job that other Americans are unwilling to do.
In His abiding love,
Cecil Moon
Monday, May 10, 2010
Monday Morning Rant 145
Proverbs 31; you want a wife, this is the place to go for the particulars. You want to be a perfect wife; go there and learn how. The chapter is attributed to Lemuel, with the Lord’s direction, and, if you think about it, pretty much covers all the bases. One hardly needs to change the archaic language to fully understand the modern application to present day life. My thanks go to Lee Parsons for demonstrating the parallels to current marriage in his mother’s day sermon..
On Saturday night preceding, we had the traditional “Mother-Daughter” dinner in the fellowship hall decorated in advance by the “committee” in grand style. The meal—delicious fundamental Missouri—was prepared, served, and cleaned up after by a group of the men of the church. It was the twentieth plus recurrence of the event. Your host took the dual role of plate loader (butter dipped corn-on-the-cob) and then dishwasher. I was surrounded by men more than willing to assume the responsibility to see the ladies well-fed and duly appreciated. The event had speakers, recognitions of achievement, skits and rounds of laughter and good fellowship. The final feature was the strawberry shortcake for the crowd of nearly a hundred who attended. It was yet one more successful occasion.
Presidential “Duh”
We have long celebrated the missteps, gaffes, and faulty “logic” of our leadership regardless of party. Some is misdirection as a result of biased media reportage and some is a result of intellectual shortfall on the part of the politicians. This past week we have a series of comments from the office of the president which are, on their face, viable entries in the “derby of the dumb.” Savor these observations and understand the man we have elected as the leader of the free world.
“I mean, I do think at a certain point you’ve made enough money.”
The man who once told his followers to “get in their faces” now says “this kind of vilification and over-the-top rhetoric closes the door to the possibility of compromise.
From the man who once declared war on Fox News now says “the practice of listening to opposing views is essential for effective citizenship.”
After decrying “vilification and over-the-top rhetoric,” Obama says “that helped to create the tea-baggers.”
“We can’t start singling out people because of who the look like, or how the talk, or how they dress, when AZ law doesn’t do those things.”
The days have long past when a politician can go out and mount a lonesome stump in the hinterlands and pretty much say anything which comes into his “squash.” Those who would change their mind every day to conform to current events are defeated by the “SAVE” command on every computer. Thus, reported remarks are recorded for future reference and easily come back to bite them on the posterior. One click on that command outdoes even the very best of memory.
At the worst, not only do we hear ill-chosen remarks but thanks to the various video sources, we can air the culprit actually making the remark and also isolate the audience. Like so many attitudes current in this administration, the president assumes–apparently—that his computer is the only one so equipped. The media are notoriously lacking in this regard but the bloggers are well equipped.
Another “Bush-Hitler” Halliburton Connection
Oops! I apologize for the error. This time it’s not “Bush-Hitler” but the Obama administration which allowed the half billion dollar no-bid contract. KBR (Kellogg, Brown & Root) was formed by the unification of M.W. Kellogg Co. with Halliburton’s Brown and Root which has long been the recipient of government contracts abroad as far back as WWII. They specialize in construction contracts in dangerous venues.
The continuation of this relationship is noteworthy not only because of the criticism leveled against Halliburton over our last few wars but another significant reason. KBR is a non-union contractor! Apparently this is a case of one group of folks who are willing to do that which some other “Americans are unwilling to do.”
The “Harvard-ization” of America Continues
With the announcement of Elena Kagan as the Supreme Court nominee to replace Justice Stevens we find yet one more person from Harvard rising within this administration. She was easily confirmed as Solicitor General and appears to be a shoo-in for the spot on the court. The current fear is that she may not possibly be as far left as some would find comfortable. They go so far as to suggest she may even be a “closet” conservative. If so, she has kept that particular closet door nailed shut, sealed, and it becomes the best kept secret in Washington, D.C...
She will not go into the confirmation process with threats of prior judicial opinions being used to her detriment. She has none! One must have served as an actual judge to have those historic decisions recorded. Although the Republicans will put up a fuss, the likelihood of defeating the nomination is a vain hope and one can only anticipate who’s next from the Harvard faculty to take her place as Solicitor General at the Justice Department. Don’t worry though; there are enough leftists at Harvard to provide an endless supply for the government.
Allee Bautch Attack with No Suspects?
The continuing reports on progress in the Allee Bautch case are continuing to be conspicuously missing. New Orleans’ police reports on the savage attack on her and her boyfriend stopped about three weeks ago and we have heard nothing in the news about their progress.
Surely there is someone in the NOPD who has some tidbit of evidence on the identity of the perpetrators. If one Googles the name; there is nothing much of current interest there on either the suspects or the condition of Ms Bautch or her friend. Is no one else surprised that a collection of governors could meet at a prominent restaurant for a major fundraising event in the French Quarter and not have some sort of protective security available to them?
This event will then join the disastrous ($1 billion) flood in Nashville which the media has largely ignored. Harm to “red state” inhabitants is just plain “non-news” to the liberal press. Unless it can be blamed on Bush or the Tea Party it is insignificant.
And finally
According to the Weather Underground the ridge will experience a few days of cold and intermittent rain this week. That means that our attention will be turned to inside jobs to continue to restore order to the property. We rejoice that we have utilized the pleasant weather to getting a great deal accomplished outside recently.
The peonies are on the verge of blooming; the roses are budded as well; all of the grass is neatly trimmed; the trees are fully leafed; the grapes are dutifully climbing; the birds are gorging at the feeder; and, with rain present and with more on the way we shall sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor. God is good. As the late Jack Jones used to often say: “Everyone should have as much.”
In His abiding love,
Cecil Moon
On Saturday night preceding, we had the traditional “Mother-Daughter” dinner in the fellowship hall decorated in advance by the “committee” in grand style. The meal—delicious fundamental Missouri—was prepared, served, and cleaned up after by a group of the men of the church. It was the twentieth plus recurrence of the event. Your host took the dual role of plate loader (butter dipped corn-on-the-cob) and then dishwasher. I was surrounded by men more than willing to assume the responsibility to see the ladies well-fed and duly appreciated. The event had speakers, recognitions of achievement, skits and rounds of laughter and good fellowship. The final feature was the strawberry shortcake for the crowd of nearly a hundred who attended. It was yet one more successful occasion.
Presidential “Duh”
We have long celebrated the missteps, gaffes, and faulty “logic” of our leadership regardless of party. Some is misdirection as a result of biased media reportage and some is a result of intellectual shortfall on the part of the politicians. This past week we have a series of comments from the office of the president which are, on their face, viable entries in the “derby of the dumb.” Savor these observations and understand the man we have elected as the leader of the free world.
“I mean, I do think at a certain point you’ve made enough money.”
The man who once told his followers to “get in their faces” now says “this kind of vilification and over-the-top rhetoric closes the door to the possibility of compromise.
From the man who once declared war on Fox News now says “the practice of listening to opposing views is essential for effective citizenship.”
After decrying “vilification and over-the-top rhetoric,” Obama says “that helped to create the tea-baggers.”
“We can’t start singling out people because of who the look like, or how the talk, or how they dress, when AZ law doesn’t do those things.”
The days have long past when a politician can go out and mount a lonesome stump in the hinterlands and pretty much say anything which comes into his “squash.” Those who would change their mind every day to conform to current events are defeated by the “SAVE” command on every computer. Thus, reported remarks are recorded for future reference and easily come back to bite them on the posterior. One click on that command outdoes even the very best of memory.
At the worst, not only do we hear ill-chosen remarks but thanks to the various video sources, we can air the culprit actually making the remark and also isolate the audience. Like so many attitudes current in this administration, the president assumes–apparently—that his computer is the only one so equipped. The media are notoriously lacking in this regard but the bloggers are well equipped.
Another “Bush-Hitler” Halliburton Connection
Oops! I apologize for the error. This time it’s not “Bush-Hitler” but the Obama administration which allowed the half billion dollar no-bid contract. KBR (Kellogg, Brown & Root) was formed by the unification of M.W. Kellogg Co. with Halliburton’s Brown and Root which has long been the recipient of government contracts abroad as far back as WWII. They specialize in construction contracts in dangerous venues.
The continuation of this relationship is noteworthy not only because of the criticism leveled against Halliburton over our last few wars but another significant reason. KBR is a non-union contractor! Apparently this is a case of one group of folks who are willing to do that which some other “Americans are unwilling to do.”
The “Harvard-ization” of America Continues
With the announcement of Elena Kagan as the Supreme Court nominee to replace Justice Stevens we find yet one more person from Harvard rising within this administration. She was easily confirmed as Solicitor General and appears to be a shoo-in for the spot on the court. The current fear is that she may not possibly be as far left as some would find comfortable. They go so far as to suggest she may even be a “closet” conservative. If so, she has kept that particular closet door nailed shut, sealed, and it becomes the best kept secret in Washington, D.C...
She will not go into the confirmation process with threats of prior judicial opinions being used to her detriment. She has none! One must have served as an actual judge to have those historic decisions recorded. Although the Republicans will put up a fuss, the likelihood of defeating the nomination is a vain hope and one can only anticipate who’s next from the Harvard faculty to take her place as Solicitor General at the Justice Department. Don’t worry though; there are enough leftists at Harvard to provide an endless supply for the government.
Allee Bautch Attack with No Suspects?
The continuing reports on progress in the Allee Bautch case are continuing to be conspicuously missing. New Orleans’ police reports on the savage attack on her and her boyfriend stopped about three weeks ago and we have heard nothing in the news about their progress.
Surely there is someone in the NOPD who has some tidbit of evidence on the identity of the perpetrators. If one Googles the name; there is nothing much of current interest there on either the suspects or the condition of Ms Bautch or her friend. Is no one else surprised that a collection of governors could meet at a prominent restaurant for a major fundraising event in the French Quarter and not have some sort of protective security available to them?
This event will then join the disastrous ($1 billion) flood in Nashville which the media has largely ignored. Harm to “red state” inhabitants is just plain “non-news” to the liberal press. Unless it can be blamed on Bush or the Tea Party it is insignificant.
And finally
According to the Weather Underground the ridge will experience a few days of cold and intermittent rain this week. That means that our attention will be turned to inside jobs to continue to restore order to the property. We rejoice that we have utilized the pleasant weather to getting a great deal accomplished outside recently.
The peonies are on the verge of blooming; the roses are budded as well; all of the grass is neatly trimmed; the trees are fully leafed; the grapes are dutifully climbing; the birds are gorging at the feeder; and, with rain present and with more on the way we shall sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor. God is good. As the late Jack Jones used to often say: “Everyone should have as much.”
In His abiding love,
Cecil Moon
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