tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187750552012-01-09T06:20:57.393-06:00A bloggy conglomeration of culture, religion, politics and/or random thoughts from the middle of America. Don't say you weren't warned.Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.comBlogger9241100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-26381538250643972992009-03-26T00:39:00.002-05:002009-03-26T00:41:58.590-05:00

What I said a few months ago still stands.I've not missed blogging. And the time I've reclaimed is well spent with a few other guys in the infinitely more pleasant, personable, and practical hobby of homebrewing.It's actually quite satisfying to drink beer you've brewed while not caring what angry and ill-informed people on the internet think.

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-63936748119186228302008-12-29T09:10:00.001-06:002008-12-29T09:11:41.646-06:00

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-17772810421689436762008-12-08T16:47:00.004-06:002008-12-08T22:10:45.389-06:00

Where does it make sense that two top-ranked teams end the season with one loss each, the team ranked #3 having beaten the team ranked #1?In BCS land, that's where.PS -- No offense to Mark Daniels, but Ohio State? 10th-ranked, 10-2 Ohio State? Alabama and USC are ranked lower than Texas and have better bowl game opponents. Criminy.

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-52647946204592500092008-11-15T14:53:00.004-06:002008-11-17T16:27:44.092-06:00

Various commentators have offered suggestions for the GOP's sad state.Was it giving in to social conservatives and turning off more moderate voters, as P.J. O'Rourke suggests? Given that traditional marriage amendments passed in several states, including California, it seems unlikely that the electorate suddenly shifted to the left and rejected conservatism.Was it fielding a candidate that

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-4877399121148989532008-11-07T11:58:00.003-06:002008-11-07T12:08:45.307-06:00

For all the talk about massive turnout, it didn't happen. It appears there were about the same number of votes cast for President this year as in 2004.In St. Louis county, there were slightly more ballots cast than in '04, but they represented a lower percentage of registered voters.In 2000, we had a 77.25% turnout among 644,126 registered voters.In 2004, 80.31% of 686,272 voted.And in 2008,

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-33715574691608328452008-11-05T08:42:00.006-06:002008-11-07T11:58:36.843-06:00

I don't like his big-government policies, and I am still fearful that Obama will do exactly what he talked about doing, but at the end of the day it's still a positive thing that we have elected an African-American President.Congratulations to President-elect Obama.UPDATE: NPR makes a beautiful connection -- At 109, the daughter of a slave lives to see Obama elected President. (h/t: Instapundit)

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-71502584329632208762008-10-28T09:53:00.016-05:002008-11-04T11:05:29.538-06:00

(from the Institute for Research on the Economics of Taxation -- pdf here).Note that the tax analysis above doesn't take into account Obama's stated intentions 1) to make it impossible to open any new coal or nuclear power plants and 2) to raise the cost of energy. It also was based on Obama's original definition of "rich" as those making over $250,000. That was first downgraded to $200K, then

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-12397759338432042012008-10-26T14:09:00.004-05:002008-10-27T10:21:59.985-05:00

Barney Frank says plainly that the Democratic plan for America is to cut defense spending and raise taxes.Have the Democrats ever had any other plan?(NB: cutting defense spending by 25% is part of a "stimulus package." I guess no Americans work in defense jobs).UPDATE: The Democratic candidate for President talks about how the civil rights movement messed up by focusing on actual, you know, "

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-2992743856884284102008-10-24T11:16:00.002-05:002008-10-24T11:20:50.378-05:00

When we found out we were expecting our fourth child, our older boy (around 6 at the time) announced that he thought a good name would be Molucca Moo.He was dead serious, too.The boy still cracks us up.

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-33894657561165817312008-10-22T10:36:00.004-05:002008-10-25T14:25:50.967-05:00

Failblog is my new BFF.Daycare FailI can't tell you how often I see signs, flyers, and posters like that. A few weeks ago I drove past a daycare center van with two grammar errors painted on.But this earns triple bonus points for illegal use of a licensed character, the name "Sweet Cheeks Day Care," and misspelling your town's name.Epic fail.UPDATE: Kaye provides links to more unintentional humor

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-36763262599866630322008-10-21T09:37:00.002-05:002008-10-21T10:17:00.085-05:00

I got in my 12-year-old car this morning and noticed the odometer read 111000. In binary, my car only has 56 miles on it.Obama wants to classify carbon as a dangerous pollutant. That will help the economy.What do community organizers do? Engage in wholesale vote fraud! Don't address the question, attack the questioner! And this guy wants us to trust him with Executive branch power.Obama and his

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-18146408305824464942008-10-16T10:31:00.003-05:002008-10-16T15:48:50.969-05:00

I'm tired.I'm tired of this election. It's been dragging on for two years already. I'm tired of the candidates, tired of their lies and distortions, tired of them ignoring things that need attention, and deeply concerned that neither of them is up to the significant challenges facing our nation.Stubborn Facts reports that Medicare went into deficit this year and its unfunded obligations are

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-6539440953410099552008-10-14T10:38:00.006-05:002008-10-17T19:48:17.014-05:00

As we've already seen, it's never too early to get young people started appreciating Barack Obama.Of course, as kids grow up, they need more substantive study of Obama to fully appreciate his many contributions to America.8th-graders in Racine, WI, for example, get 15 pages of Obama in their McDougal-Littell Literature textbooks. Of course, a 15-page section in an English literature textbook

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-3204508789749513152008-10-09T08:43:00.004-05:002008-10-09T17:25:48.401-05:00

Amba at Ambivablog shares notes from a recent conversation with a friend who is very concerned about the global economic situation:Schwarzenegger just asked for 7 billion; basically, CA is broke. Seven more states are insolvent, will go broke by the end of the year, have completely overspent, and can't print money like the feds can. L.A. seeks 400 million dollar bailout separate from CA as a

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-69567637578466878962008-10-03T10:36:00.007-05:002008-10-03T10:49:41.029-05:00

Given the debate on the bailout package taking place in the House today, I thought I'd lighten things up with some great Simpsons images I came across last night:If you don't laugh, you'll cry.

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-623840924341180462008-10-02T10:49:00.004-05:002008-10-02T17:27:32.202-05:00

The Senate has passed the amended bailout package which raised FDIC insurance from $100,000 to $250,000 on covered accounts, and provided tax cuts for individuals and businesses.If the House passes the bill, that means that in combination with Pelosi's last-minute, pork-laden, no-review, $630 billion emergency spending bill, we'll get tax cuts (lowered revenue) and spending increases.I'm

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-57268708243669705112008-10-01T14:52:00.000-05:002008-10-01T14:52:00.494-05:00

"Skinny" is the new "black" -- literally.Timothy Noah clues us all in:In the Aug. 1 Wall Street Journal, Amy Chozick asked, "[C]ould Sen. Obama's skinniness be a liability?" Most Americans, Chozick points out, aren't skinny. Fully 66 percent of all citizens who've reached voting age are overweight, and 32 percent are obese. To be thin is to be different physically ... "I won't vote for any

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-54092117900885672992008-10-01T11:20:00.000-05:002008-10-01T11:20:00.260-05:00

Scott Ott (Scrappleface) posted this Sunday, but it has a continuing relevance as lawmakers are still trying to work out a economic package this week:Sen. John McCain said reluctant Republicans would sign on to a $700 billion federal bailout of “Big Finance”, as soon as Democrats agree “to require criminally-negligent Wall Street CEOs and their enablers in Congress to perform a videotaped and

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-72132416710432811692008-10-01T10:08:00.002-05:002008-10-01T10:24:45.082-05:00

From DC Examiner:The 2008 budget year ended yesterday, but Congress hasn't approved a single one of a dozen annual appropriations bills needed to keep the federal government functioning on a day-to-day basis. Hence the $630 billion stop-gap measure, nearly the size of the failed Wall Street bailout. It passed the House on a 370-68 vote even though, as Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., candidly admitted

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-42338941114258639192008-10-01T07:12:00.003-05:002008-10-01T08:39:43.492-05:00

That about sums up both the current economic crisis and the nature of the beast in Washington. And that goes for both parties.The very people who created the mess are the ones who are asking us to trust them to fix it. As Pat at Stubborn Facts rightly suggests, there should instead be serious political consequences for the so-called leaders who 1) Created the laws and policies which encouraged

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-7281598699011765092008-09-30T12:29:00.007-05:002008-10-01T09:29:19.547-05:00

So what are these kids learning? That to oppose Obama is to oppose hope, change, and progress? That people who don't vote for Obama are against children, families, and peace? That Obama is the dear leader who will guide us into the bright future?But even this wouldn't be so bad if Obama and his followers hadn't shown a troubling tendency to shout down, intimidate, and threaten federal

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-10941585964650014972008-09-29T12:33:00.003-05:002008-09-29T13:33:58.285-05:00

Porkbusters has a copy of the federal financial bailout plan (the government servers are being hit hard). I haven't had time to read through it, and I'm no economic expert, but I'll share a few quick thoughts.The good news is that direct funding for ACORN has been taken out.The bad news? This picture makes me want to check my wallet.Any time Barney Frank (who blocked reform of Fannie & Freddie

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-45258584941673873602008-09-29T12:13:00.002-05:002008-09-29T12:27:06.083-05:00

I can hardly stand listening to politicians blather under normal circumstances, so conventions and debates are usually far too much for me to take. I caught about 5 minutes of the "Fight in Faulknerland," but it's been interesting to watch the post-debate spin. It doesn't seem there was a clear winner, but that only means each side can claim victory.I did find these takes on the post-debate spin

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-17985569253136653312008-09-26T07:35:00.001-05:002008-09-26T07:35:00.347-05:00

Barack Obama said he'd certainly have Al Gore as a senior adviser in his administration, possibly at the Cabinet level:"I will make a commitment that Al Gore will be at the table and play a central part in us figuring out how we solve this problem," Obama said."He's someone I talk to on a regular basis," Obama said. "I'm already consulting with him on these issues. Climate change is real. It's

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-24308613622285085892008-09-25T17:09:00.004-05:002008-09-25T22:10:48.048-05:00

Sept. 23 -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says he needs John McCain to tell him what to do about the looming economic crisis and asks for his help (no mention of Obama, interestingly).“We need, now, the Republicans to start producing some votes for us. We need the Republican nominee for president to let us know where he stands and what we should do.”Sept 24 -- John McCain says he will suspend

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-37265968921591737792008-09-25T10:04:00.002-05:002008-09-25T13:16:40.176-05:00

It's refreshing to see a politician of either party speak with clarity and genuine insight that comes from having something worthwhile to say (the intro bit from the convention excepted). It's also nice to hear a party leader be able to speak well of his opponents. It was almost as though an actual adult was a national politician!Bill Clinton on The View.Part 2 here.Part 3 here.Well done,

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-31297807648801302392008-09-24T22:15:00.002-05:002008-09-24T22:18:57.295-05:00

ScrappleFace nails it:(2008-09-24) — The foundation of the U.S. economy could crumble, President George Bush said today, if Congress fails to approve a U.S. Treasury plan to take over foundering financial firms, a proposal which the president called “a much-needed 21st-century civil rights act for stupid people.”“To sustain this shining city on a hill,” Mr. Bush said, “we need to rescue the

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-16699645849254367762008-09-24T09:50:00.003-05:002008-09-24T10:56:14.261-05:00

Political advocacy? You're soaking in it!Politico reports that Steve Schmidt, a McCain aide fired a broadside at the New York Times, calling it "a pro-Obama advocacy organization":“Everything that is read in The New York Times that attacks this campaign should be evaluated by the American people from that perspective — that it is an organization that has made a decision to cast aside its

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-65589872300589689132008-09-23T15:21:00.004-05:002008-09-24T08:36:12.658-05:00

-- with a dash of envy and a bit of sloth -- seems to be behind the recent economic crisis. There's plenty of blame to go around.Kiplinger's helps explain how we got here. My $0.02 worth:Short-sighted governments flooded the global market with cheap money, encouraging a "quick" fix to weak economies.Greedy Congresses were willing to take money from financial institutions, rewrite laws governing

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-79499243469918610692008-09-18T10:29:00.004-05:002008-09-18T11:01:44.544-05:00

Nancy Pelosi on Charles Rangel, Chair of the House Ways and Means Committe (which, by the way, writes tax law):"I see no reason why Mr. Rangel should step down."Let's see ... As the Post reports,Rangel has four rent-stabilized apartments (one of which is a campaign office) .He failed to report $75,000 in rental income from a Caribbean beachfront villa.Rangel never reported any income from the

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-13646574068798326732008-09-17T10:16:00.004-05:002008-09-17T11:15:47.164-05:00

Do newborns have a right to life? According to Barack Obama, it depends on whether the mother was attempting to abort the child.One can argue how "voted against" is used in the ad, but on the fundamental issue, this is not spin. This is not a matter of interpretation. That is Obama's position.When given the chance to recognize the obvious humanity and right to life of newborns surviving an

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-17443003426370493572008-09-16T22:46:00.002-05:002008-09-16T22:50:08.439-05:00

Okay, the whole moose thing is getting way overplayed in the media, but this is quite good.The NYT Dining & Wine section is starting a blog on Alaskan cuisine titled "A Moose Bouche"

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-13406910061510183932008-09-15T15:52:00.003-05:002008-09-15T16:07:12.458-05:00

From Lark News:ST. PAUL — The reaction to John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin for vice presidential nominee has been so positive among grass-roots conservatives that the McCain campaign is quickly moving to name even more young evangelical leaders to a potential McCain cabinet.Yesterday John McCain stood next to Meghan Crandall and announced he would appoint the 12-year-old Girl Scout as

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-4110915571778534992008-09-14T16:41:00.006-05:002008-09-15T09:49:12.218-05:00

John McCain recently aired an ad saying Barack Obama favored comprehensive sex education for kindergarteners. The charge was based on Obama's support for an Illinois bill providing comprehensive sex ed for grades K-12. Obama's campaign strenuously rejected the assertion as false and perverse, saying that what Obama favored was teaching young kids about stranger danger and good touch/bad touch.But

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-13769734867006411302008-09-13T07:19:00.006-05:002008-09-15T15:09:39.639-05:00

I'll be honest -- that ad makes me uncomfortable.It makes a pretty serious claim, one that Obama's campaign strenuously rejects as false and perverse.“It is shameful and downright perverse for the McCain campaign to use a bill that was written to protect young children from sexual predators as a recycled and discredited political attack against a father of two young girls – a position that his

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-70388995151457429072008-09-12T09:37:00.000-05:002008-09-12T09:42:37.740-05:00

And not in a good way.Sarah and Todd Palin's decision to complete her recent pregnancy, despite advance notice that their baby Trig had Down syndrome, is hailed by many in the pro-life movement as walking the walk as well as talking the talk.But a senior Canadian doctor is now expressing concerns that such a prominent public role model as the governor of Alaska and potential vice president of the

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-67616652409619670682008-09-11T10:06:00.003-05:002008-09-11T10:32:33.380-05:00

It's a good day to remember those who are mourning the loss of loved ones.It's a good day to remember and give thanks for the brave men and women who lead our nation, safeguard our freedom, rush into harm's way, and stand on duty so that we may sleep safe, secure, and free.It's a good day to remember and be inspired by the courage and self-sacrifice of ordinary Americans like these.It's a good

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-23029895918241573082008-09-10T10:53:00.003-05:002008-09-10T11:19:12.979-05:00

Champion Jack Dupree, with King Curtis, at the 1971 Montreux Jazz Festival:Dupree was orphaned as a toddler, taught himself the piano, earned a living as a musician, cook, and boxer, fought in WWII (and was captured by the Japanese), and left America in the late 50s over frustration at racism.It's amazing how some people can take terrible circumstances and turn them into something enduringly,

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-5849207658610859222008-09-09T16:47:00.003-05:002008-09-09T17:08:25.013-05:00

This, from Heather Mallick, courtesy of the CBC (at least they're not my tax dollars at work):I assume John McCain chose Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential partner in a fit of pique because the Republican money men refused to let him have the stuffed male shirt he really wanted. She added nothing to the ticket that the Republicans didn't already have sewn up, the white trash vote, the

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-82488703716317558512008-09-05T15:35:00.002-05:002008-09-05T15:54:53.140-05:00

The New Republic has a fascinating article on previously undocumented aspects of Obama's experience as a community organizer and how his frustration at the ineffectiveness of that work led him to pursue politics.In late October 1987, Barack Obama and Jerry Kellman took a weekend off from their jobs as community organizers in Chicago and traveled to a conference on social justice and the black

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-20227929227854338982008-09-05T10:51:00.003-05:002008-09-05T11:57:50.743-05:00

Short week due to Labor Day, then prepared for and gave a message to ladies' group at church. One of the elderly members fell and had to go for x-rays, then our daughter was sent home from school with a fever. I'm about 2 days behind this week.Thus, I haven't written anything, but have been enjoying the discussions about Palin and the GOP convention at Ambivablog. Anchoress has also had a number

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-55400552710118344792008-08-30T15:39:00.006-05:002008-09-02T13:37:30.693-05:00

Outis at Searching for Home has a very good perspective on McCain's choice of Palin and what she brings as strengths and weaknesses.I wish Palin had a little more experience, and this is one area where the Democrats have already started attacking her. They're falling into a trap, though, on several fronts.First, the Obama camp's initial reaction to her selection was sneering condescension. This

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-24674238749524763512008-08-29T10:39:00.001-05:002008-08-29T10:41:24.442-05:00

I think McCain has made a great choice, but time will tell.Right now, there sure seems to be a lot of interest and excitement, and that includes me.

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-6292068810008526582008-08-29T10:26:00.004-05:002008-08-29T11:03:29.805-05:00

BoingBoing has an article about what appears to be the Yankees' policy of confining people to their seats (not allowing them to leave) during the opening National Anthem and "God Bless America" at the 7th inning stretch.I don't see how this policy could stand up in court, but I don't see how it got created in the first place. Be patriotic, or else?!?I like the snark in "the seventh inning's

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-77587775966965860272008-08-28T17:30:00.002-05:002008-08-28T17:51:46.416-05:00

Vanderleun has an excellent piece on the 100th anniversary of Lyndon Johnson's birth.I have no great love for Johnson -- mainly for his massive expansion of social programs and the damage to American power and prestige in Vietnam (not to mention the thousands of lives lost). But Johnson got some things very right, notably the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act -- these from a man who had

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-5116380018360857462008-08-28T10:37:00.003-05:002008-08-28T16:23:21.628-05:00

We've already seen troubling signs of Obama's followers trying to shut down criticism of their candidate. I guess we should have expected there would be more incidents like this. This time, though, it's the campaign itself which is trying to strong arm opponents.A conservative group is airing an ad raising questions about Obama's relationship with unrepentant domestic terrorists Bill Ayers and

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-68351020742694404802008-08-22T12:40:00.003-05:002008-08-22T15:53:15.033-05:00

It's no secret that I am a Weird Al fan. I've been listening to him since a friend in junior high shared a tape of a Dr. Demento show with Al on it.While his work is necessarily derivative (about half the songs on an album are original and the other half are parodies), I think he's incredibly intelligent, talented and creative, and he has the rare gift of making something difficult look

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-26007247732845852872008-08-16T11:40:00.000-05:002008-08-16T11:43:18.765-05:00

The WSJ points out America's dubious distinction of maintaining the second highest corporate tax rates in the world.A new OECD study, "Taxes and Economic Growth," examines national tax burdens and their impact on growth and incomes in member countries. It concludes that "corporate taxes are most harmful for growth, followed by personal income taxes, and then consumption taxes." The study adds

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-18551966615618097842008-08-15T13:54:00.005-05:002008-08-15T14:07:50.377-05:00

In case it wasn't clear who is the focus of this Presidential election, take a look at this graphic created by John Schwenkler for the Boston Globe. It's based on the words from the candidate's own blogs:Obama's lead in the polls has disappeared, and he's clearly got some challenges to overcome in the general election. Of course, the conventions haven't met, and people haven't seen them go head

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-51101161032263723632008-08-15T10:30:00.001-05:002008-08-15T10:55:12.241-05:00

That's not a rhetorical question.Fast food will be outlawed for poor people in L.A. You're still allowed to get food quickly if it's an approved ethnic cuisine.Trans fats have also been outlawed statewide. "Put down the Cheezits now, punk!"L.A. businesses will be required to provide toilets, water, and seating for unemployed people hanging around their stores. Why not make business pay for failed

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-73990651456808019142008-08-13T09:24:00.002-05:002008-08-13T10:05:49.442-05:00

I'm not among the ranks of the AT&T haters, but after my recent experiences I'm looking into membership.We've had DSL, residential and long distance service with AT&T for years. That means we've had our share of poor customer service and unexpected outages, but the last bill with a $9 charge for a 30 minute call to a neighboring suburb pushed us over the edge. St. Louis has two area codes, and

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-42991160964238697952008-08-11T15:15:00.003-05:002008-08-11T15:40:41.047-05:00

We had a great week away. The weather was beautiful, so we were out on the lake every day. The kids all had success at water skiing, and our older boy swam across the lake (about 1/3 mile each way -- he'd just done his mile swim at Boy Scout camp).On Friday, we held our own Olympics with various friends and family in the area. We each took a country to represent (nobody got to pick USA, so we we

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-6045298237860337902008-08-03T09:19:00.000-05:002008-08-03T09:19:00.377-05:00

"Jeff is on vacation for the next week. May I help you with a Cook County tax payment?"

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-33806810485766597192008-08-01T16:25:00.002-05:002008-08-01T16:37:30.267-05:00

News Junkie at Maggie's Farm links to a rather disturbing piece in the WSJ by Daniel Henninger.Is John McCain losing it?On Sunday, he said on national television that to solve Social Security "everything's on the table," which of course means raising payroll taxes. On July 7 in Denver he said: "Senator Obama will raise your taxes. I won't."... He got back to the subject Tuesday in Reno, Nev.

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-53366265190283099252008-07-31T16:13:00.002-05:002008-07-31T16:35:23.686-05:00

The usual suspects were outraged at the news that Exxon-Mobil announced the largest quarterly profits EVER for a US corporation!!!Yes, well. Exxon-Mobil did in fact record profits of $11.68 billion ... on $138.1 billion in sales, or 8.45% net profit. Excluding a one-time court settlement, profits were still only 8.66% of sales, about average for US corporations.But it's too much for some reason,

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-47284134068175518302008-07-31T15:44:00.008-05:002008-08-01T13:09:54.869-05:00

John McCain has recently run an ad criticizing Barack Obama's celebrity status as insufficient reason to elect him President. Obama responded by claiming McCain is a racist."So nobody really thinks that Bush or McCain have a real answer for the challenges we face, so what they’re going to try to do is make you scared of me ... You know, he’s not patriotic enough. He’s got a funny name. You know,

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-9631689899812519102008-07-31T10:55:00.002-05:002008-07-31T11:09:14.028-05:00

Sen. Ted Stevens (R - Alaska) has been indicted on seven felony counts of failing to report gifts from an Alaskan oil services company. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but I certainly would not be surprised at the truth of the charges against the "king of earmarks." Stevens has played an aggressive form of pork-barrel politics for way too long and at too great expense to the rest of the

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-10064804237972485312008-07-30T17:16:00.010-05:002008-07-30T17:43:58.618-05:00

Those hundreds of billions of barrels of oil shale -- enough for decades of use? Don't need 'em. Just inflate your tires properly and get a tune-up. I inflated my tires and tripled my gas mileage!Do you think he makes up stuff like this just to see how people will react? Does he think people will believe anything he tells them? He's been getting away with it long enough, I seriously wonder if

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-5224015299668953182008-07-28T13:22:00.003-05:002008-07-28T13:28:41.126-05:00

This amazing YouTube video has come back from 30 years in the future to show us what our friend Sippican will have been up to. Enjoy!(h/t: BoingBoing)

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-79804071739678827072008-07-28T10:40:00.004-05:002008-07-28T10:44:13.900-05:00

Today is Beatrix Potter's birthday:Happy birthday, courtesy of The Perry Bible Fellowship:

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-1606974432188370842008-07-28T07:14:00.001-05:002008-07-28T07:14:00.860-05:00

The state of California has outlawed trans-fats.For the 10,000 foot view apparently inspired by nothing in particular, see this thoughtful piece by my friend Sippican.A tech from the DHS will be by next week to get a urine sample and take your blood pressure.

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-52660160314891120292008-07-27T15:33:00.002-05:002008-07-27T15:39:01.769-05:00

Sung at church today by a father and his son playing guitar.

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-83344520752567978832008-07-27T14:32:00.007-05:002008-07-27T14:56:13.028-05:00

My wife and I were at a local school for our daughter's "graduation" from Safety Town -- a two-week afternoon program in which the kids learn to wear bike helmets, stop at red lights, and not drink poison. Why didn't we think of that?Anyway, I arrived a few minutes early for the program and went to use the restroom. I was confronted by these two options for my toilette:It's a little hard to read

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-23718921881579163052008-07-24T11:03:00.004-05:002008-07-25T10:46:18.507-05:00

Obamabots have swarmed YouTube in order to flag the following video as "inappropriate." We can't have heretics spouting blasphemy about the Obamessiah, now, can we? Free speech for me, but not for thee.Quasi-fascist antics like this should make the skin of democracy-loving people crawl. Beyond all the mounting evidence of Obama's own thin skin and egomania, this guy's followers really creep me

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-86345317405248047932008-07-24T08:50:00.001-05:002008-07-24T08:50:00.579-05:00

Callimachus links to a beautifully poignant story of a freed slave who used his influence to help his former master and other Confederate veterans. As a boy on the Laurens County plantation, Bill Yopp went everywhere that Thomas Yopp went.Hunting. Fishing. Even off to the Civil War."Like Mary's little lamb," he said later.After the war, Bill traveled the country and world, rubbing elbows with

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-33358913821416117832008-07-23T08:29:00.004-05:002008-07-23T09:02:20.005-05:00

Via The Corner, Ann Althouse links to a story by the National Enquirer which tells of John Edwards meeting his alleged mistress in the early morning hours at a hotel in LA. Edwards' wife is battling cancer, and the Senator has previously denied allegations of marital infidelity.Now, this is the National Enquirer, so perhaps we should be slow to accept the story at face value. Except that there

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-38815135181895514232008-07-21T16:39:00.002-05:002008-07-21T16:47:48.714-05:00

From (who else?) the NYT ("Poor Economy Slows Women In Workplace"):Across the country, women in their prime earning years, struggling with an unfriendly economy, are retreating from the work force, either permanently or for long stretches.Down in the sixth paragraph, we learn that, "women are being afflicted on a large scale by the same troubles as men: downturns, layoffs, outsourcing, stagnant

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-74333405358333074282008-07-21T09:44:00.003-05:002008-07-21T12:26:01.954-05:00

We had some family visiting this past week, and with some friends from church we all went on the Anheuser-Busch brewery tour yesterday afternoon. I'm not a big Bud fan, but our family members wanted to see the place just in case it's not there in the future. I doubt that would happen, but it's possible that cost-cutting might mean dropping brewery tours with free sampling. Anyway, the tour was

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-30626403139356402192008-07-17T10:06:00.004-05:002008-07-17T11:40:23.864-05:00

From Best of Craigslist:Autographed Copy of Plato’s Republic———————————————Date: 2008-07-09, 11:00AM CDT1st edition of The Republic signed by its author. There is of course a reasonable amount of wear and tear, (light highlighting and underlining, dog-eared pages, back cover missing, etc.), but it is in overall good condition considering its age.First come first serveLocation: Chicago loopit’s

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-38891551445765011172008-07-16T16:20:00.002-05:002008-07-16T16:43:26.627-05:00

One of many entries from the Troy McClure filmography at the Simpsons Archive"Hi, I'm actor Troy McClure. You may remember me from such fine films as Here Comes the Coast Guard, The Wackiest Covered Wagon in the West, and Dial M for Murderousness."I miss Phil Hartman.

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-14178970685928300342008-07-15T09:01:00.000-05:002008-07-15T09:19:23.234-05:00

(Not original to me)AMAZING SIMPLE HOME REMEDIES:1. IF YOU'RE CHOKING ON AN ICE CUBE, SIMPLY POUR A CUP OF BOILING WATER DOWN YOUR THROAT. PRESTO! THE BLOCKAGE WILL INSTANTLY REMOVE ITSELF.2. AVOID CUTTING YOURSELF WHEN SLICING VEGETABLES BY GETTING SOMEONE ELSE TO HOLD THE VEGETABLES WHILE YOU CHOP.3. AVOID ARGUMENTS WITH THE FEMALES ABOUT LIFTING THE TOILET SEAT BY USING THE SINK. 4. FOR HIGH

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-42485059233275546832008-07-14T17:21:00.003-05:002008-07-14T17:51:27.041-05:00

For such an acrimonious battle for control over Anheuser-Busch, the end came quickly enough when InBev raised its cash offer from $65 to $70 per share. A-B head August A. Busch IV had tried fighting off the acquisition with xenophobia, lawsuits and a cost cutting plan. The announcement that a takeover at a higher price (with a seat on the new Board for Busch) is now in the best interests of the

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-71406230988657015052008-07-14T11:57:00.003-05:002008-07-14T12:43:36.526-05:00

Q: How many foreign languages does Barack Obama speak?Sorry. Sometimes I can't help myself.For the record, I tend to agree that it's a good thing to learn a foreign language. I've learned four myself (and goofed around with a couple of others). At the same time, it's practically not that important for Americans, given that we live in a near-continent-sized country and English is the lingua franca

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-53678368756560866352008-07-10T15:30:00.002-05:002008-07-10T16:48:50.997-05:00

No, really. That's what people are now paying for the privilege of smoking in New York City. The City just raised cigarette taxes to $2.75 a pack. I believe that's more in taxes than the entire cost of a bargain brand pack here in Missouri. In other words, the tax rate on cigarettes in NYC is 44% -- before sales tax (disclosure: I am not a smoker).How can anyone justify such outrageous tax rates

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-43324104583881984152008-07-08T10:26:00.002-05:002008-07-08T12:07:39.921-05:00

It's a tight race in Western Europe to see who can commit cultural suicide the fastest. The French and Dutch are no slouches, but the British certainly seem to be giving it their all.From the Telegraph:The National Children's Bureau, which receives £12 million a year, mainly from Government funded organisations, has issued guidance to play leaders and nursery teachers advising them to be alert

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-65650496287662809222008-07-07T11:58:00.007-05:002008-07-07T13:53:50.430-05:00

Quick quiz:Guess what happens when an elite Boy Scout group spends four years planning and preparing for an extensive service project at their own expense in a national forest and a group of filthy hippies comes in at the last minute and demands to have a drug-fueled bacchanalia at the same location?Let's see -- the choice is between honoring our commitment to a group of admirable young citizens

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-44513688572168647912008-07-04T09:07:00.004-05:002008-07-04T11:29:43.828-05:00

I've always thought that the character of Richard Henry Lee -- with all his pride, energy, braggadocio, good-heartedness, and internal contradictions -- was a pretty good symbol of America.As usual, we're going to celebrate the birth of our country by eating and drinking a lot, playing games, and blowing stuff up.Happy Independence Day!UPDATE: I forgot earlier to post the note that Richard H. Lee

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-89223941625825263232008-07-03T11:46:00.003-05:002008-07-03T12:02:48.478-05:00

From the NYT:Hours after Colombian commandos in disguise infiltrated the FARC terrorist group in a daring rescue operation, three American hostages were flown to safety in the United States and another freed captive, a French-Colombian politician held for six years, was reunited with her family.... On Colombian television, Ms. Betancourt wept and smiled as she recounted a chain of events that

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-13465728324336730652008-07-03T10:24:00.002-05:002008-07-03T10:28:25.196-05:00

Another great pop culture mashup -- Boba Fett doing "Flashdance"Mandalorian DanceUploaded by PatrickBoivin(via Neatorama)

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-1248932378906669042008-07-01T11:37:00.005-05:002008-07-01T14:49:01.457-05:00

Well, I can't say I'm rested and recovered, but at least I'm back.Let me explain. No, that would take too long. Let me sum up.When the rehab center in Florida released my mom, a couple of things fell through the cracks. The nurses apparently didn't get the info that Mom wasn't going directly to assisted living, but was spending a few days with us -- so they didn't give her any of her medications

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-46916431518299363862008-06-26T17:21:00.003-05:002008-06-26T17:31:25.182-05:00

(from Caption-This.com) Beat. Blown. Burned. Bushed. Done. Drained. Exhausted. Fried. Gone. Pooped. Spent. Tired. Wasted. Wiped. Yawn.Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-61694638920887160492008-06-21T16:10:00.003-05:002008-06-21T16:28:06.921-05:00

My brother and I spent the week handling accounts, decisions, and various legal, financial and medical issues and sorting through years of accumulated things to get Mom's essentials packed into the rental truck which my brother drove 1000 miles to her new home in an assisted living facility where he lives and then with a couple of other guys unloaded it this morning while I picked up Mom and all

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-11121600494574496872008-06-16T10:57:00.002-05:002008-06-16T11:05:16.677-05:00

My brother and I are heading down to Florida this week to pack up my mom's things and move her to an assisted living facility. Various health problems have weakened her over the last year and made it impossible for her to live on her own, especially with her closest relative living 1,000 miles from her.The lady at the truck rental place made an interesting side comment on the local economy: "It's

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-29405393312886198682008-06-15T16:46:00.003-05:002008-06-15T16:49:00.275-05:00

Happy Father's Day to all God's prodigal children.

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-34097536681987856542008-06-13T16:04:00.004-05:002008-06-14T08:27:14.213-05:00

Tim Russert, host of "Meet the Press" and NBC's Washington bureau chief, has died of a heart attack at age 58.He seemed to be an intelligent, engaging man, and about as trustworthy and professional a journalist as I've seen in my adult life.Condolences to his family and friends. He will be missed.UPDATE. XWL at Immodest Proposals raises a good question about Russert's death: Why do you care? He

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-71578694025013662112008-06-10T17:46:00.004-05:002008-06-10T18:12:42.436-05:00

Kinetic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina meets in a movie theater. They keep all their property and supplies (Bibles, A/V equipment, Pack and Plays for kids in the nursery, etc.) in a trailer.That trailer containing just about everything they own was stolen recently. So they rented billboards in the area to get the thief's attention, then posted this video response to the theft on their

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-84044832152543409442008-06-10T13:34:00.006-05:002008-06-10T13:48:49.813-05:00

A Consumerist reader sent in a picture of this awesome sign. Buffalo Wild Wings clears up the confusion about the salmonella outbreak and places the blame squarely where it belongs:Dear God, not F.D.A. tomatoes! RUN!!!You know it's serious when it's in all caps (and I love 'untill').More bad grammar here.

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-79278312629975552062008-06-09T12:33:00.000-05:002008-06-09T12:46:56.600-05:00

From Hot Air:The Senate Intelligence Committee has released a report accusing George Bush and Dick Cheney of knowingly using untrue statements to foster support for the war in Iraq. The chair of the committee, Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) admitted that everyone operated from the same “flawed” intelligence, but accused the administration of outright deception.So making statements that turn out not to be

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-44595693320794516262008-06-06T12:32:00.003-05:002008-06-06T12:47:36.092-05:00

From Pat Toomey in the Wall Street Journal (via Instapundit):Over his 35 years in Congress, Mr. Young made himself into the most powerful Republican on the House Transportation Committee. But instead of using his power to steer Republicans down a principled, conservative track, he helped derail the GOP train in 2006. Mr. Young spends taxpayer money so wastefully he could make a liberal Democrat

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-44234753253983553812008-06-06T11:28:00.005-05:002008-06-06T12:15:01.849-05:00

With gasoline at $4 a gallon, you'd think that Congress would get serious about energy policy. You'd be wrong.When Democrats took control of Congress in 2006, they promised "a common sense plan" to cut energy costs. We're now finding out what that means, and it's not encouraging:1. Block energy development.2. Tax oil companies.3. Sue OPEC.Democrats block new refineries, keep oil companies from

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-63007676383439663322008-06-05T16:00:00.003-05:002008-06-06T09:21:55.612-05:00

From Don Surber: April 29, Obama: “I’ve known Reverend Wright for almost 20 years. The person that I saw yesterday was not the person that I met 20 years ago.” June 4, Obama: “This isn’t the Tony Rezko I knew, but now he has been convicted by a jury on multiple charges that once again shine a spotlight on the need for reform.” I can see it now, after Iran obliterates Israel: “This isn’t the

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-80541325901087714522008-06-04T11:59:00.008-05:002008-06-04T14:16:55.480-05:00

Barack Obama has received the support of enough delegates to ensure his nomination as the Democratic candidate for President. Barring some unforeseen circumstance, he will get the official nod at the Convention in August.And just in time! Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-64830510571907104772008-06-03T10:58:00.002-05:002008-06-03T12:50:54.561-05:00

I subscribe to the Sippican Cottage theory of music -- You can't go wrong listening to music from guys names Louis.

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-8518376413448350202008-05-30T10:06:00.003-05:002008-05-30T15:40:17.926-05:00

A fine comic actor has died."You are about to embark on a great crusade to stamp out runaway decency in the West.""That's 'Hedley.'"He will be missed.

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-63368247115507073382008-05-30T09:16:00.003-05:002008-05-30T09:37:29.621-05:00

Memorial Day used to be fixed on May 30. A number of years ago, Congress changed the calendar to make Memorial Day the last Monday in May, giving us the three-day weekend we all appreciate. But many still recognize Memorial Day on May 30. Cal at Done With Mirrors is one of those.You must go read today's Memorial Day post in which he remembers and celebrates some of those who have given the "last

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-38589950220668597472008-05-29T09:51:00.005-05:002008-05-29T21:24:15.775-05:00

We saw Prince Caspian last weekend. It's an intersting take on the Lewis original, but I always think the books are better than the movies, and the same is true with this story. The director ignores important themes, leaves out key character development, and removes some of the story's central tension. Instead, Prince Caspian invents a conflict between the two main characters and adds an extra

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-21516317785486384902008-05-27T14:41:00.004-05:002008-05-27T15:30:59.636-05:00

I didn't post anything over the weekend because a) We were busy here and there, and 2) I honestly didn't think of it.We enjoyed a number of nice parties, barbecues, and get-togethers, including one at church yesterday, in spite of the continuing deluge. All the rain makes the flowers and grass nice, but I prefer less of it in my basement and on the softball field. We had a great time

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-61423446566276828072008-05-22T11:33:00.003-05:002008-05-22T11:43:39.877-05:00

One of today's deals from Amazon:I don't know if this is good price or a quality product, but I love the name.I can't decide if it sounds more like a new anti-anxiety medication or the leader of an alien invasion force."Thank you, Xantrex, for giving me back my life.""Kneel before Xantrex, pitiful human weakling!"Xantrex!

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-53235174226527964432008-05-21T14:59:00.003-05:002008-05-21T15:08:51.903-05:00

... who thought they could protect their freedom by making themselves inoffensive to their enemies." -- Dean Acheson"It must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures." -- Harry Truman"We shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18775055.post-28185602488023055232008-05-21T14:19:00.003-05:002008-05-21T14:37:30.900-05:00

In the middle of the vague miasma of one-world feel-goodism at my daughter's recent concert, there were a few unexpected moments of clarity, grace, beauty, and wisdom.Near the beginning of the program, the head choir director announced that we had a couple of special guests she wanted to recognize. First, we learned that our Governor was in attendance. My unscientific assessment is that this was

Pastor_Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com0