Underscoring At Its Best

Posted on April 3, 2011 | Leave a comment

The single best piece of reporting Ive seen in at least the last 2 hours:

No charges have been filed, but police believe alcohol is a contributing factor to the incident.

Pretty standard fare, yes?  Check out the story:

Thomas Johnson, of Gardner, and Seth Davis, of Winchendon, fell out of a bathroom window on the bus and onto the highway. Johnson was killed at the scene, while Davis remains in critical condition at UMASS Medical Center in Worcester.

The bus, run by Colonial Tours of Boston, was returning from the Red Hook Brewery in Portsmouth N.H. and was on its way to Gardner, Mass.

Dood.

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Posted in Fun, Idiots on Parade

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Silence For You – Tolerance For Me

Posted on April 2, 2011 | 15 comments

Pastors Terry Jones and Wayne Sapp are loathsome individuals to be sure.  It’s one thing to hold a belief, to claim faith and ardently follow your heart and spirit through the religion you choose.  But to purposely insult, demean and antagonize another set of beliefs is simply horrible.

Further, it’s inconsistent with the message of most mainline religions.  As a Christian I practice patience, tolerance and love of my neighbors.  Even my enemies.  As such, even if, and I certainly don’t hold this belief, but even if those of another religion were my “enemy” I find consistency in the Lords commandment to “love thy enemy”.

To burn the most Holy Book of Islam is an insult that goes too far.

With that said, I am finding the inconsistency in response appalling.

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Posted in Diplomacy, Politics: International, Politics: National, Politics: North Carolina, Religion, Uncategorized

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Supporting Education And Supporting Teachers

Posted on April 2, 2011 | 1 comment

There is a difference.

There is a clear difference in supporting the educational needs of our children and supporting “teachers”.  For example, in one case it means that we are dedicated to improving the system that delivers learning to our most precious resource.  The other case means that we’re just blindly supporting people who think they’re teachers.

And that kinda pisses me off.

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Posted in Education, Politics: North Carolina

And Cut In 3 – 2 – 1 …..

Posted on March 30, 2011 | 9 comments

Okay, so, Obama decided that we had to support the Western coalition that wanted to offer air cover to the rebels in Libya.  I think I’m alright with that.  I remain okay with that even though I have friends who are against that very action.

However, we sent our dog into that fight with the explicit expectation that we were gonna simply remove the ability of the government mow down it’s people using airplanes and helicopters.

More and more we are seeing the scope of the mission increase until finally today we see this:

(Reuters) – President Barack Obama has signed a secret order authorizing covert U.S. government support for rebel forces seeking to oust Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, government officials told Reuters on Wednesday.

I don’t like Obama, never have.  However, I have tried to find aspects of his governing that I can accept; Libya was one.  But by signing these secret orders I can’t defend his actions.  I can’t say that he is acting with that “global coalition” that gave him some moral standing.

If you wanna take out a leader of a corrupt State – have at it.  Just say it.  Plain and simple.  So simple that maybe even a real  life guy in Texas could understand.

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Posted in Diplomacy, Politics: International, Politics: National, War

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Are Unions Evil?

Posted on March 29, 2011 | 7 comments

I think it’s important to ask and then answer this question.  Are Unions, by themselves, bad or damaging?

My answer might surprise you.  And that might be my fault for not explaining my position well enough.  I do not think that the act of individual laborers joining together collectively and forming a union is, by itself, a bad thing.

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Posted in Government, Liberty, Politics: North Carolina

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Making It Real

Posted on March 29, 2011 | 3 comments

This kinda changes everything:

RALEIGH, N.C. — Utilities in North and South Carolina have reported trace amounts of radiation from a nuclear reactor in Japan that was damaged by an earthquake and tsunami.

I’m not sayin’ – just sayin’.

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Posted in Energy

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Brad and Britt: Pre-existing Conditions

Posted on March 28, 2011 | 2 comments

I was listening to the Brad and Britt Show last week and they were discussing the proposed changes to North Carolina public employee’s health insurance payments. Currently the State pays 100% of the health care premiums for its employees.  The new proposal would require employees to contribute $11 per month this year and then $22 per month next year.

Further, premiums would be subject to individual conditions as it relates to weight and smoking habits of those employees.  For example, if an individual was over weight, they may find that their premium would be higher than their svelte co-worker.  Similar to that concept is the idea of determining the premium based upon  smoking habits.  A smoker would face a higher premium than a non-smoker.

Given the Left-leaning tendancies of our hosts, I felt for sure that they would be against such discrimination.

I was pleasantly surprised.

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Posted in Government, Health Care, Politics: North Carolina

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Every Light In The House Will Be On

Posted on March 25, 2011 | 9 comments

This Saturday is the day of the year when we are supposed to observe Earth Hour.

At 8:30 PM on Saturday 26th March 2011, lights will switch off around the globe for Earth Hour and people will commit to actions that go beyond the hour.

We are supposed to turn off all of our lights in order to demonstrate that we love our world; our earth.

Me?

Every light in the house will be on.

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Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Idiots on Parade

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My Take On Libya

Posted on March 25, 2011 | 10 comments

We’re pushing two weeks now in the US involvement in Libya.  I’ve tried to resist from commenting on the situation because I really wanted to make sure my opinion was more my thoughts and feelings rather than a partisan message surrounding Obama.

I’m not going to get into the constitutionality of what took place.  I’m convinced that either:

  1. It IS constitutional
  2. It doesn’t matter if it isn’t

Either way, we’re over there and involved.  For better or for worse.

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Posted in Diplomacy, Politics: International, War

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Barack Obama Is Neil Diamond

Posted on March 23, 2011 | 3 comments

A friend of mine from the Way Back Machine tipped me off to a critique of Barack Obama from a body language perspective.  It’s a fascinating reflection on how President Obama speaks rather that on what he speaks about.

Every now and then I mention that Obama is our first American Idol President.  That he won the election not so much on substance but on showmanship.  Fun to see that I may not be alone in this query.

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Posted in Fun, Politics: National

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