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Mar 262008
 

The Site
The picture gallery has been taken offline for now as we try to update the website. Sorry for any inconvenience if you have tried to look yourself up in our gigantic picture gallery. If you know us and hung out with us at least once, we definitely have a picture of you!

Trip
Things have been going well. We are very much looking forward to our vacation in a couple days. Italy here we come! Make sure to check back for those pictures which we’ll be happy to share.

Spring
It’s here! Which means we have to go outside to work in the yard and that is definitely not my favorite thing to do. This year I decided to get more involved as we had some awful looking azalea bushes out front which needed to go and I was happy to spend the day digging those puppies up! Now I’m looking forward to having some lively looking plants out front. We’ll see what we come up with.

House
Well, it’s definitely looking like a Pottery Barn catalog around here but since I love, love, love that store then it’s not a problem. I feel like Rachel from that episode of Friends where she buys everything from Pottery Barn and then lies about it to Phoebe. It’s sad but on some days walking around that store can make a dreary day seem a little bit better. The bathrooms are in the process of being remodeled and I’m happy to say not by me. I picked out the stuff, but the man here has been busy with the ceramic tile, vanities, etc. The bad thing is sharing a bathroom in the process. Girls and boys should not share the same bathroom!

The dog
Since my last post on little Jack, things have improved a little bit. It turns out the dog has a malfunctioning thyroid and has hypothyroidism. He is now on thyroid medicine and is back to being his old self. He has lots of energy and some of the fur around his ears have started growing back!

Politics
What can I say? Not much interest around here for any of the candidates. I guess it will have to end up being the best of the worst in November and it will probably not be an improvement for how we’re doing here lately. Even if I sound pessimistic, I encourage everyone to go out and vote! It is important and a great responsibility. Remember JFK “think not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.” NOT the other way around as many have come to think in society today.

TV
Lost is AWESOME even though we have no answers. American Idol is back and I watch it like a school girl. Waiting patiently for The Office…….
I’ve been watching Masterpiece on PBS Sunday nights as they have been presenting the works of Jane Austen (my favorite novelist of all time). They have done a beautiful job with some of my favorites. Sense and Sensibility is coming up this week and I can’t wait.

Important
John 17:20-26.
“My prayer is not for them alone (the disciples). I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” John 17:20-26.

This was Jesus’ prayer for future believers the night before he was crucified. I thought it was important to mention since it was Easter this past week and let everyone who might read this know that He loves you and wants a relationship with you. Think about it! Without Him, none of it matters! (house, trip, politics, etc.)

Empty Prize

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Oct 162007
 

So Gore wins the Nobel Peace Prize. For what exactly? A documentary about climate change that is allegedly loaded with inaccuracies?

Let’s forget the inaccuracies for a moment. How does a movie about climate change fulfill the purpose of the award?

According to wikipedia (yes, I know, far from the pantheon of truthfulness, but I think they have this correct), Alfred Nobel’s will stated that the Nobel Peace Prize is to be awarded

to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.

Please enlighten me as to how making a documentary about climate change accomplishes any of that. It’s absurd.

Not that any of it matters anyway. The Nobel Laureates lost all credibility when they awarded the prize to a terrorist.

Oh well

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Nov 102006
 

Hmmm, so maybe I spoke too soon when I said the Senate was safe.

The Republicans really took a butt-whoopin’. I guess running on no issues, and just plugging away at how awful Iraq is was enough for the Democrats, not to mention having the media pulling for you with story after story slanted in favor of the left. When it came down to it though, I do think Iraq was partially to blame for the losses. I think most of America wanted us to go into Iraq (even the Democrats) but are now wondering what is going to happen. The Democrats and the media played on America’s fears and uncertainty, and that coupled with running more moderate candidates equaled victory. Call me crazy though because I think the Democrats victory making these guys happy is not a good thing.

However, I think the bigger story with the Republicans was the corruption, and the simple fact that they have strayed far away from what they are supposed to stand for – limited government, strong national defense, and family values. The only thing they delivered was lower taxes.

George Allen lost because of a stupid mistake involving the word “macaca”. He trounced Webb in their debate as Webb hardly answered any questions that were asked of him, but I think Virginians saw in Webb a former Reagan ally and someone who didn’t say macaca, and that was enough to sway the votes needed to put him over the top. That’s too bad because Allen has been very good for this state, and we will sorely miss him.

So now there will be all new leadership for conservatives and maybe that’s a good thing. Get back to what you are good at doing. Remember why people elected you in the first place back in 1994. I do believe that Bush and the current Republican Congress have let many conservatives down by expanding the size of the government and introducing new entitlements which we cannot possibly support with our current system. Hopefully the new Republican leadership will get back on track in the next two years so they can somehow recover from this defeat in 2008.

But you know what you haven’t seen? Hordes of Republicans screaming for recounts like the Democrats have done after the previous three national elections. Anyone notice the media scouring the countryside for disenfranchised voters as they’ve done in the past after Democrat defeats? Where are the cries of racism and hanging chads from the Republicans? There are none, because Republicans are gracious in defeat and know when they’ve been beat. There are no John Kerrys in the Republican party that embarass themselves by dragging out election decisions for days and weeks, and thank God for that.

Mark my words though, the Democrats will try to impeach Bush. There will be investigations aplenty as nothing gets done by the Democrats next year except wasting taxpayer money. And hopefully Bush will get to use his veto power for the first time as a Democratic Congress gets started on their own liberal agenda. Thank goodness Bush already got his Supreme Court nominees confirmed.

Maybe this is like how sometimes it’s good for the undefeated #1 team to lose right before the NCAA tournament, and now Republicans will regroup, lick their wounds, and come back with a vengeance in 2008. Only God knows for sure, and we all know which way He would vote.

Too close to call

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Nov 072006
 

I can’t believe I’ve been watching four hours of election coverage. I’m such a politics geek sometimes.

Thelma Drake has won. The marriage amendment passed. Allen and Webb is too close to call right now, and a recount seems likely. The Democrats have taken control of the House. The Senate looks to be safe.

I have to admit it; it was a smart gameplan run by the democrats. Put up a bunch of moderates so the extremists can take power. I don’t know what will happen, but a bunch of special investigations into the Bush administration and a possible impeachment attempt would not surprise me, not to mention a serious fight for funding for anything that Bush wants. They have been preaching about working together and bipartisan efforts – we’ll see how long that lasts.

Stop the Insanity

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Nov 062006
 

Tomorrow is the big day. All of the relentless political commericials will finally stop.

Anyone that knows me can figure out which way I’ll be voting tomorrow. As a Christian, I have to vote for the candidate (or basically the party) whose policies more closely resemble my beliefs. That, of course, are the Republicans.

People can say what they want about the war in Iraq, but here is what I believe. We went in because we thought they had WMD. We know they did have them in the past, but they don’t have them now (at least active ones). So we were wrong about that. That being said, we cannot pull out and leave the Iraqis to fend for themselves and succumb to terrorists. I believe we are doing the right thing over there, and I want us to win. I think our troops think the same thing.

The Republicans haven’t been the most fiscal bunch lately, but I know the Democrats would be even worse. The economy has already benefited from Bush’s tax cuts and is humming along quite nicely. I mean, the Dow is at an all time high! Most important of all – the country has not suffered another terrorist attack. That’s the most important issue right now and will be for a long time.

As a Virginian, I have three big votes tomorrow. There are two hotly contested Congressional races and a constitutional amendment defining marriage (as well as two other less-publicized initiatives). If you value lower taxes, family values, and smaller, limited government, you’ll vote for Geoge Allen and Thelma Drake, and yes on the amendment. These are state races and issues, but their outcome has national consequences.

Where are the protests?

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Oct 092006
 

So North Korea supposedly tested a nuke today. That’s super.

Why has the world allowed them to get to the point where they are even close? I just don’t get it. This is way more than the “provocative act” than Bush is calling it. I fault him for letting the situation get this far. I fault Clinton for giving them the technology in the first place and believing their lies. If it goes back further, anyone involved in appeasing this nut is to blame.

People are protesting us left and right and crowing how world opinion is against us, yet Kim Jong-il starves his own people and threatens neighboring countries with missles. Where are the protests against North Korea?

We’ve had lunatic dictators in the past lie to the world while they secretly planned to attack other countries. This guy is flat out defying the world and telling us what he is going to do. It’s alot tougher to deal with him now that he might have the capability of a first strike or to retaliate though. If anything happens, it will be on all our heads for letting the situation get this far.

Update: It looks as if the explosion that occurred may have in fact not been nuclear. If they don’t have the capability today, they will get it eventually if we let them. If they don’t yet, we need to nip this in the bud now.

A football political statement

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Sep 252006
 

I’m sitting here watching the Saints-Falcons game, and the emotions are riding high in New Orleans. I really thought the Falcons were much better than the Saints, but I guess the emotional high of this night has lit a fire under the Saints and their defense is putting a whoopin’ on Vick & Co right now. We’ll see how the second half goes.

On a side note, Tirico, Kornheiser, and Thiesmann sucked up to racist Spike Lee earlier, which in essence was just a commercial for his documentary. He had the gaul to make a thinly veiled political shot at the President by mentioning something about how he couldn’t believe it took five days for the city to get help.

Why is it usually the left who resort to political statements on a night like this when everyone else is focusing on the comeback of a city that was destroyed last year? I pity people who are so blinded by their bigotry that facts are ignored and common sense become anything but common.

Hate Speech

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Feb 022006
 

I don’t know that I’ve ever read about a more hate-filled speech than the one given by NAACP Chairman Julian Bond. You know, the kind of speech filled with racist remarks and Nazi comparisons that if given by anyone other than someone in the NAACP would generate all sorts of buzz and make national headlines. Perhaps this one will, but history tells us otherwise.

For some reason, people in his position get a free pass and are allowed to spew hatred with no consequences. And don’t anyone start with that free speech stuff. The fact that he was able to give the speech in the first place without being arrested in a testament to the first amendment, but shouldn’t there be reprecussions to one’s actions?

If I was the NAACP, I would start with firing this guy and then bend over backward apologizing to anyone who would listen. I think most sensible Americans already know the NAACP is an irrelevant organization that once stood for something, but whose purpose has been lost in the quagmire that has been the political landscape in this country for the last thirty years. People will listen to lunatics rave for only so long.

Media Bias

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Jan 242006
 

I read a great piece on media bias today by Bruce Bartlett. He pontificates on the big media’s focus on Republican misdoings vs. the same (or worse) behavior of Democrats.

…the liberal media harp on Republican misdeeds monotonously because to them the subject never gets boring. By contrast, Democratic wrongdoing tends to be treated in a perfunctory manner with no follow-up. This imbalance of coverage, which is unrelated to the seriousness of the charges, naturally tends to make people think Republicans are more corrupt, when a reasonable person reviewing all the evidence would have to conclude that Democrats are much more likely to be corrupt.

He gives some great examples of evidence in the article, and some of it is pretty damning. Now some stories obviously deserve front-page coverage, but when you systematically focus your coverage on a particular group, someone is going to notice the disparity eventually. I’m certainly not qualified to speak on his assertion that Democrats are much more likely to be corrupt, but when many things they do get buried in the back pages of newspapers, you would never know it if they were.

When our only main source of news was Walter Cronkite, people thought differently and took his word as gold because “that’s the way it was”. Most people (including myself) don’t even notice the bias until you start reading and listening to many different non-mainstream sources of news. Thank goodness the bias is now being shown for what it truly is.

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