I could use closing this week with a smile or two — though, as usual, it's not all smiles. How could it be all smiles and still be ec...ec...ec....
- Wow. Walmart really has you covered. Literally. From cradle to... well....
- Check out this gorgeous photo which, I think, was taken in the Bristlecone Pines forest in California's White Mountains. My family was up there last 4th of July weekend. The same gent who took that picture has many other beautiful shots here.
- To another kind of photo, Fred Butler has pictures of some pretty hysterical animal costumes.
- Ahh, romance.
- Many of you won't care about this. It's okay with me that you don't care about this. I hope it's okay with you that I don't care that you don't care about this. But, for those who do care — here's the Season Eight trailer for "24."
- On that theme:
- And hokey smokes, my DAOD points us to The Last Supper...in Rubik's cubes.
- Staying with the DAOD theme, my Rachael is very fond of pepper. Very fond. Or she was, before she started marinating that little baby, who doesn't seem as fond of it. So when I make her my special burger, she gets extra-pepper. Once her appetite returns to normal, I'm going to be ready for her.
- Candy found some traumatized, Obamatized Hitchcockians.
- Another obstacle in the way of The One's takeover of the medical industry? That Constitution-thingie. Turns out some folks are noticing that there is no authority given to force citizens to purchase particular services, nor punish them for not doing so. Think that will slow the Dems? Hint: when asked if the healthcare takeover was Constitutional, the woman who Dem voters put in charge of Congress replied, "Are you serious? Are you serious?" Yeah, well, Nancy; someone has to be.
- In related news: so, did someone say, "President Obama, we have a bill here that further empowers the government to control people's thoughts and feelings"? And did the President so many professed Christians put in office say "Cool! Where do I sign?"
- Irony alert: the subtlely anti-First-Amendment bill is partly named after Matthew Shepard, a young man given over to perversion who may not have been murdered because of his perversion, and whose murderers were punished to the full extent of the law without any special legislation.
- Safety announcement: I think my Australian readers should just... stay out of the water for awhile.
- Working in an environment that used Norton/Symantec Antivirus, I grew to hate it pretty seriously. But real or not, this is funny:
- Poignant, sweet, very sad. Have a hankie ready. Not kidding.
- This next, however, is simply appalling. Our Laura K found this article of a man who glories in his shame — a late-term abortionists, proudly stepping into the late Dr. Tiller's place, boasting of killing some 60,000 babies. I find I want to say, "What must his soul look like, in God's eyes?" But the immediate answer is: same as mine, apart from Christ.
- Well, mood-change. Honestly, I forget whether I've put this up before, but I'll let reader Chuck Bridgland remind us all of the things you don't say to your wife.
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- I live in California, where this is unlikely to happen. But as a public service to readers to the east of me, as we enter winter, I remind you: don't leave the bathroom window open.
- Leaving us finally with...
Posts
37 comments:
Eclectic! (Had to help you out, Dan.)
A 20 foot shark? He's at least 25. Three tons of him.
From "Jaws" for you philistines.
“Save on funeral products today. Walmart - Save money. Live better.”
Indeed a gorgeous photo!
As for the little fishy, someone's going to need a bigger boat.
You know, I saw that new hate crimes legislation yesterday for the first time outside of crazy forwards I get. For a minute there, I got nervous that all those people who said that I'd get arrested soon for preaching the Bible might not be kooks after all.
Brad, if I were forced to make predictions that I wouldn't be held to, here's what they'd be.
Obama will not succeed in all of the horrid, monstrous things he wants to accomplish. Only in some.
HOWEVER, a lot of professed Christians voted for him and have not admitted what a massive mistake they made.
AND once one does something massively stupid and it is pointed out, he only has two choices: repent and make it right, or go all out to make it look right.
PLUS liberals never give up. See homosexual "marriage" in CA. Defeated soundly; defeated a little less; they'll just keep coming back until they get what they want.
SO the first-sallies Obama is making and will make will eventually succeed. We'll lose the whole Bill of Rights, eventually — whether outright, or by dying the death of 10000 qualifications.
The rest is in Revelation.
Conservatives lost footing when they allowed for any kind of hate crimes legislation in any state. Of course no one was going to object to, say, race or religion being "protected classes." But freedom of thought is freedom of thought, even if it protects things like racism.
Frankly, it's just ridiculous. If someone attacks me, I don't care if they attack me for being white or Christian or ex-gay or because they want my wallet or because I'm listening to Boston on my iPod. Whatever the reason, I want them to be locked up. Pure and simple.
Agreed. Actions are the proper domain of the courts. Not thought-control.
More concentration on enforcing laws, reducing inane loopholes, and a justly scarier justice system - all these would be better areas of endeavor.
Or, to put it better: a justice system that is terrifying to criminals and reassuring to the law-abiding.
Psalm 2 does seem fitting: however and however much the nations rage, God in heaven laughs, because his Messiah is established on his throne.
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way. It's a good warning for the US.
All kinds of "amen."
Excellent collection today, Dan! Love the Bristlecone Pines pic! And the Rubik's Cube thing is amazing! Also, very interesting about Matthew Shepard.
Thanks, SolaMommy. BTW, check the Bristlecone Pines item again; I updated it with a link to more of that man's really beautiful photos.
Reminder to everyone: check HT once or twice after your first time. I do commonly add updates without notice.
...if you want to, of course!
(c:
Did anyone else see the drill+pepper mill and think, "Man, I gotta try that this weekend"?
Just wonderin'.
Great links as usual. Really loved the link to the White Mtn. photos - a very underrated wilderness location. I see you hike the eastern sierra regularly, have you had a chance to explore McClure Meadow or Rae Lakes?
I'm curious about the wisdom of pursuing the Matthew Shepard angle. It seems from the ever reliable Wiki page that the perpetrators have changed their story down the road from the original report that they killed him in part because he was gay. I realize that Shepard's story has become a rallying cry in the homosexual agenda, but is there really enough solid evidence to refute that narrative, and is it worth it? I have the same struggle with MLK's plagiarism... even though the facts back you up, if you point out he was a dishonest cheater, you've already been dismissed as a kook in the eye of the general public.
So-called "hate crime" legislation is indistinguishable from Orwell's "ThoughtCrime."
Did anyone else see the drill+pepper mill and think, "Man, I gotta try that this weekend"?
I genuinely thought the drill pepper thing was a good idea.
Yeah, Andy, that's why I said "who may not have been murdered because of his perversion." There's reason to doubt it. I've heard it confidently from other sources, and Wiki heavily tilts Hellward in its orientations... but the other point is solid enough. Special laws weren't needed to prosecute his murderers.
Now, if you want to streamline a just execution of the death penalty, I'm right there.
But not for thought-crimes.
Thanks for your take. Agreed on the thought crime points. And I wish we could streamline the death penalty process to restore some of that Rom 13 fear you've alluded to.
So, have you been on the southern half of the JMT before, because I'd highly recommend it if you haven't. You can access some great spots though Onion Valley, Kearsarge Pass, or South Lake... and others too, of curse.
DJP: Many of you won't care about this. It's okay with me that you don't care about this. I hope it's okay with you that I don't care that you don't care about this. But, for those who do care — here's the Season Eight trailer for "24."
I care.
Another thought about hate crimes: If someone is deranged enough that they are going to murder another human being simply because that person is gay (or black, or Muslim, etc.) isn't that already considered first degree murder? Willful, deliberate and premeditated action? Some horrible individuals want to murder people for belonging to a certain lifestyle or ethnicity. Others sickos want to murder people simply to watch them die.
Both need to be saved by Christ, and then pay for their crimes with a needle in their arm.
My baby sister's husband did indeed tape a game over their wedding video. She forgave him, but she'll never let him forget. :-)
You forgot the balloon boy costume
The constitutionality of the healthcare debate is an interesting question.
Under our US Constitution, Congress only has the powers to pass laws that are enumerated in the Constitution. That power has been violated for decades. I'm sure we could point many federal laws in the US Code where we would could ask, where is that enumerated in the Constitution.
The federal government regulating healthcare is an enumerated power from the Constitution from the commerce clause. But the Times asks an important question: does that enumerated power include mandating everyone have health insurance.
I think the Times rightly anticipates that the Courts would uphold it. I mean, if they have upheld federal laws that are not enumerated, why would they strike down laws that abuse enumerated powers.
@DJP:
"How could it be all smiles and still be ec...ec...ec...."
Shouldn't it have been eki, eki, eki, f'tang, NEE?
Obamaween actually made me laugh out loud.
Gonna pass that on.
Jay:
The hate crimes legislation is designed to give Federal jurisdiction to crimes that are normally prosecuted under State authority. So if there is a murder and the Federal government feels the outcome, for whatever reason, is unjust, it can step in and prosecute the perpetrator for civil rights crimes, such as the new hate crimes. (note: This happens most frequently in instances of police abuse, but in years past was used to prosecute race related civil rights violations in Southern states). The Federal government has limited jurisdiction over crimes of violence (or any other crime for that matter) that doesn't have some interstate aspect to it. The civil rights violations are exceptions.
On the surface, the implications of hate crimes legislation is not significant. After all, most crimes of violence of this type are prosecuted fairly thoroughly. What is a little more profound is two things. IF you are found not-guilty at the state level, the government could get a second bite at the apple by having the Federal government prosecute for "hate crimes." And in some places that might not prosecute, say a Pastor for preaching against homosexuality, the Federal government could do it and that prosecution would likely be more affected by national politics.
Dan,
The justice system is less about justice each and every day. Contradictory views of compassion and individual rights have turned the legal system into a chess game based on technical legal rules. I don't think more legislation can or will fix this. As much as I appreciate the sentiment of legislation such as Megan's law, ultimately such measures are useless if the worldview of the Judges don't reflect the proper values.
BTW, this is another failing of Christians who voted for Obama. If God is merciful, Obama will only serve one term. But the judges he and the Democrats appoint, will be there for much, much longer.
CR:
The constitutionality of the healthcare debate is an interesting question.
That really isn't the interesting question. The interesting question is on what basis will the courts uphold the constitutionality of universal healthcare. You and I would probably agree that the Constitution is an amazingly perspicuous document that doesn't support such a program. We'd probably also agree that at best it's a crapshoot as to what the courts will do on any given issue. But as the courts become liberal, we are more certain that they will uphold whatever social program they decide is best for us. I think FDR illustrated this best.
The Constitution of the United States isn't perfect... but it is better then what we've got now!
Love the Lego costumes, but the "I'm a journalist" one takes the cake!
And NLB, I'm glad someone else's mind went in that direction. (NEE!)
Julie
Andy Dollahite — I think I was close to the Rae Lakes but got snowed out. I think — without refreshing my mind off a topog map — that was a hike through Kearsarge Pass. I remember looking at Shepherd Pass as an awfully rough hike, as my late father and I discussed it.
I best know lakes in the Mammoth/Bishop area, including around Bishop Pass, Sherwin, Valentine, Hilton Lakes (by Rock Creek Lake), and so forth.
hahaha hey that X-ray is pretty neat! :D
Might want to check the Casket Delivery Areas before ordering. Limited zip codes in CA.
This is rather morbid, but I read this article a while back in Smithsonian Mag - one of those articles that's like a car wreck you just can't help but look at, called The Surprising Satisfations of a Home Funeral. Apparently, it's a growing trend (sure to catch on with the homeschoolers!)
Later that night, with the help of a neighbor, we wrestled the coffin into the living room, filled it with cedar chips from the pet store and added several freezer packs to keep things cool. Then we lined it with a blanket and lay Bob inside. Movies always show bodies getting casually lifted like a 50-pound sack of grain; in real life (or death?), it strained four of us to move him.
The next night we held a vigil. Dozens of friends and family trailed through the living room to view Bob, surrounded by candles and flowers. He looked unquestionably dead, but he looked beautiful. Harper and I received many compliments on our coffin...
Then my dad died—suddenly, a thousand miles away, in Michigan. He lived alone, far from his three sons, who are spread from coast to coast. Home after-death care was out of the question; even if logistics had allowed it, my father had planned his funeral down to the clothes he would wear in his coffin and the music to be played at the service (Frank Sinatra's "I'll Be Seeing You"). We sat down with the funeral-home director (a nice man, also chosen by my dad) in a conference room where Kleenex boxes were strategically positioned every few feet, and went over the list of services ($4,295 in Dad's case) and merchandise. We picked a powder-coated metal coffin that we thought Dad would have liked; happily, it was also priced at the lower end of the range ($2,595). He had already received a plot free from the town. The total cost was $11,287.83, including cemetery charges and various church fees.
I was sad that I hadn't arrived in Michigan to see him before he died; we never said goodbye. "I'd like to see my father," I told the funeral director.
"Oh, you don't want to see him now," he replied. "He hasn't been embalmed."...
The photo from the Bristlecone Pines forest is actually a still from an amazing time-lapse video he took.
There's a link to it on the same page; amazing shots of the awesome wonder of our Father's handiwork!
Sorry, don't have my email set up to send this through your email link on your Blogger profile. HSAT, I thought you might find this link interesting.
http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/2009/11/new-york-skyline.html
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