jeffreymark

VETERAN'S DAY SALUTE

This day I remember and salute the men of the USS Apogon. She was a Balao-class submarine launched March 10,1943. The Apogon may not represent the most prolific submarine in WWII, yet she made a tremendous impact while patrolling the Mariana islands. Seen in the first picture is the mascot. The second photo shows a few brave Apogon submariners standing in front of the score.  My father, first on the left, spent two years aboard the sub as a Radioman First Class. Read more about this warrior sub's adventures here.

CHRISTIAN THINKING ABOUT POLITICS

As an evangelical dedicated to the Bible's absolute authority I understand the benevolent social conscientious of Christians. No doubt Biblical exhortations such as "dress, till, and keep the earth," and "...if you have done it unto the least of these you have done it unto me [Jesus]," compel us to seek civil redemption in the face of selfish ambition which destroys both the environment and poverty ridden lives. 

And, liberal visionaries espouse claims that sound Christian on their face. Feed the hungry, cut ambitious CEO salaries, put disadvantaged little Johny on a level playing field, cap those oil wells to save our environment, and give health care to each citizen-it sounds so promising, feels so compassionately Christ-like. Yet, without a spiritual impetus behind any social endeavor, the abuse of power only changes addresses. CEO evolves into centralized authoritarianism officer (CAO), better know as tyranny. Evangelicals need to encourage Christian solutions within the context of a free market. Perhaps more boycotts of products, name taking, and of course intentional discipleship in the area of church/government relations may help redeem our broken materialistic society. But, passionately placing the responsibility on big brother government's shoulders only invites stifling oppression over that which we are desperately trying to keep free.  

 Godfather blogger Hugh Hewitt may offer some thought provoking solutions in his new book The Good and Faithful Servant. Here is an editorial synopsis of the book:

Hugh Hewitt is the host of a nationally syndicated radio show, a professor at Chapman University Law School and the author of a dozen previous books on the subjects of politics, law and Christianity. In this book, Hewitt lays out a 26 week course of study and conversation for small groups on the variety of subjects that Christians interested in politics must consider as they contemplate their lives as citizens in a free society. Christians in America have been accused of unthinking support of both major parties at various times in the country's history. What is crucial for any follower of Christ is not only that they be able to give an account of why they believe in the Gospel, but also of how the Gospel informs every aspect of their lives, including their decisions as citizens and voters. This book provides the millions of small groups that meet weekly or monthly with a series of readings and questions to guide those decisions. Hewitt is a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Michigan Law School. Among his previous books are The Embarrassed Believer and In But Not Of: A Guide to Christian Ambition. He blogs daily at HughHewitt.com.

WHAT SHALL WE MAKE OF FORT HOOD?

Our hearts go out to the victims at Fort Hood. No one can truly empathize with tragedy's pain until they too have unwantedly faced it themselves. 

Immediately following this tragedy the pundits waxed eloquent with their analysis of the shooter. Major Nidal Malik Hasan is a muslim. Witnesses heard him cry out Allahu Akbar (God is great) before opening fire.Liberal society may exonerate him on the basis of some post war traumatic syndrome. All this violence against his heritage caused him to snap, we may read. 

Hasan was  walking time bomb not doubt. But, this time bomb may have intentionally sought a sort of mini jihad. The Dallas Morning News explains:

his record wasn't sterling. At Walter Reed, he received a poor performance evaluation, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case publicly. And while he was an intern, Hasan had some "difficulties" that required counseling and extra supervision, said Dr. Thomas Grieger, who was the training director at the time.

At least six months ago, Hasan came to the attention of law enforcement officials because of Internet postings about suicide bombings and other threats, including posts that equated suicide bombers to soldiers who throw themselves on a grenade to save the lives of their comrades. 

More fodder for racial and religious profiling?  Some may ardently believe such in their hearts, yet they dare not say it because in our liberal society jihadist play the victim. Phyllis Chesler explains that this bothers her a bit:

Jihadic literature raves about Muslims being attacked (not by other Muslims which is often the case) but by Jews, Americans, Zionists, Crusaders, infidels. Terrorist leaders talk about Muslim Holy lands being “occupied” by the invader. They therefore fly two planes into the World Trade Center and another into the Pentagon because Muslims are fed up with taking all that abuse lying down. (And that’s before America invaded Afghanistan and Iraq).

Read more Chelser here.

ELECTIONS SPELL TAX R-E-L-I-E-F

Last night's elections do matter according to historical context. And, they also sent a message: "No new taxes." This from long time political analyst Michael Barone:

The odd-year elections -- held in the first year of a presidency -- have been meaningful over the last two decades. In 1993 New Jersey voters rejected tax-raising Democratic Gov. James Florio, despite the best efforts of Bill Clinton's consultant James Carville -- a harbinger of the losses congressional Democrats suffered the next year after they raised taxes and supported, unavailingly, massive health care proposals.

In Virginia, McDonnell has done considerably more than that. He has advanced substantive, detailed positions on transportation, jobs and education -- issues that affect voters' everyday lives. He has also weighed in against national Democrats' health care, card check and cap-and-trade bills, while Deeds has dodged them -- a clear sign those stands are unpopular in a state that voted 53 percent for Barack Obama.

Continue reading Barone's experienced analysis here.

COOKING THE BUREAUCRATIC BOOKS

Hey, my wife and I both got raises this year. Does that count as an Obama saved job?

BLOGGING NOTES

It's been a hectic two weeks, with one more to go. I will be back in full blogging gear next week. (Nov. 9)

AMAZON DEALS

Been an amazingly busy week. We have been working with a consultant who keeps us hopping. So, blogging has been really light. Today Amazon offers discounts on electronics.

WHOOPS! I MADE A MAJOR ERROR IN JUDGEMENT

Man am I stupid, stupid, stupid. I should have known that the character Texas Tech football never changes. The names change, but the team character remains the same. Every year I get big optimistic eyes. Until our over all recruiting level changes Tech will always be a roller coaster team. Who in the hell knows what team Tech will field this week. And, I wonder if the defense will show up at all.

SOUPY SALES RIP

Soupy Sales made his living as a children's entertainer. Yet, he appealed to more adults than children. Sales knew how to ad-lib like no other. A very popular segment involved Soupy opening a stage door to a surprise guest and adlibbing the moment.In this particular now famous blooper that never aired Sales opens the door to a very different surprise. The joke was on Sales who indeed thought the piece went out over live television. 

PSYCHOBILLY MASTER

Sun studio in Memphis launched legends such as Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash. The studio pioneered a new sound called Rockabilly, a raucous blend of rock and hillbilly (country) music. This unique medium combined a bluesy Black soul with nasal twanging resonance and a canyon studio effect produced by a wacky little machine known as an echoplex.    

Rockabilly produced several phenomenal guitarists as well. Most of whom dug their roots deep in the popular styles of Merle Travis and Chet Atkins. Names such as Carl Perkins, Scotty Moore, and James Burton all went on to influence great stars such as George Harrison, Jimmy Paige, John Fogerty, and Brian Setzer of the old Stray Cats fame. Rockabilly guitar generally consisted of flawed finger picking  a three chord boogie progression-E, A, and B7 played up and down the neck of the guitar. Sun studio did not use a piano, except with Jerry Lee and Charlie Rich. Therefore, many of the guitarists substituted ivory with triplet sweeps and ringing overtones. 

Rockabilly has now combined with punk and morphed into a Neo-Rockabilly known as Psychobilly. I despise Punk music. Its guitarists sound like little children who picked up the axe yesterday. In my opinion Punk Rock blasphemes the very name Rock and Roll. But, I love Psychobilly because it sounds more like Rockabilly on steroids. One of the lesser known Psychobilly guitarists is Danny B. Harvey. Mr. Harvey hails from Kentucky and has been all over the place playing with multiple bands making a name for himself wherever he is heard. Harvey sounds like the old Rockabilly guitarists, complete with thumb picking the base notes and using the first two fingers for the treble strings. And, there's the flaw. Classical guitarists,the forerunners to finger pickers, use three fingers for the treble notes. Rockabilly masters also often palm mute base notes. When run through an echoplex the mute offers a dreamy sort of feel. Listen below as Danny Harvey illustrates Rockabilly at its finest. In this piece Harvey remixes Let's Play House, with Elvis vocals and Harvey's guitar overdubs:      

Again Harvey demonstrates his compelling technique as he recreates Jerry Reed's The Claw.

RADICALS FOR CAPITALISM

The compelling classic author Ayan Rand influenced modern day capitalist. I never read her works, but I certainly want to know more about this phenomenal genius. In November Reason TV will present the ideas of Ayan Rand, along with interviews.

RACE BLACKMAIL

This past election I marveled at the American people whose infatuation with prospects of a black president, swept otherwise calculating people overboard into a sea of unbridled emotion. A more leftist slanted individual recently told me, "We pretty much had to vote for Obama." Say what? No one held a gun to my head. I saw no leftist thugs at my voting booth. A legion of voters allowed frontier politics to impel their sense of guilt and appeal to their pioneering spirit. The first black president. ( actually Bill Clinton beat him to the punch) Let the party begin. Never mind facts; forget about Obama's ideological associates. Hear no evil, see no evil and thus no evil exists. 

Star Parker, black syndicated journalist for Sripps Howard News Service, calls out such people in her latest commentary:

What is pathetic is the gutless, ill informed, and misguided businessmen and businesswomen, from all walks of American life, who are ready to cave to race blackmail at the drop of a hat. Like racists of the past who bought bigoted claims about blacks to rationalize their racism, so NFL team owners showed zero interest in investigating claims and allegations made about Limbaugh. There was zero interest in the fact that Limbaugh never made most of the provocative statements attributed to him. Zero interest in investigating if the few remarks that Rush did indeed make that might be construed, as incendiary was indicative that he is racist. And no interest to see if Limbaugh actually ever did anything that might be considered discriminatory.

This pathological society needs bold prophets in the spirit of Martin Luther King to stand up and ask both liberals and moderates (liberals in sheep's clothing) questions concerning values and core beliefs. Have business owners sold their soul for a mess of temporal pottage? Do we shape our beliefs and actions according to any sort of historical framework? Perhaps Ms. Parker may set the tone for such prophets.

MORE AMERICAN TYRANNY II

Obama Administration officials continue their diatribe aimed at Fox News. Their sin, making money, according to White House sources. That sells well with the public. And, it fits a tyrannical leftist narrative. Take the higher moral ground and demonize those who challenge the opposition. It sounds so good to the unsuspecting. Obama puppet master David the "axeman" Axelrod said Fox ought not get treated as a news organization. Sadly, tyrants shut off debate. In their god-like minds, once the decree gets handed down from a central authority (the government) any who hold the left accountable by asking, "What are you doing," get labeled as divisive, racists, haters, caviler, and unenlightened. My god! Who wants that cloud hanging over them?

 Those who desires to learn more about tyrannical strategies ought to order the book by James Kalb entitled The Tyranny of Liberalism: Understanding and Overcoming Administered Freedom, Inquisitorial Tolerance, and Equality. Kalb, an attorney and scholar, was educated in the bastion of liberalism. He understands not only their worldview, but their covert strategies disguised as compassion. Many good and decent Americans fail to see the big picture embracing only the apparent compassionate behavior. Underneath, however, lurks a subtle monster engaged in a centralized forced authority. Anyone concerned about their freedom needs to read Kalb's publication. Editors offer this synopsis of the work:

The title of this book may seem oxymoronic, which testifies to how completely the regime of freedom and equality that liberalism claims to be has triumphed over other sociopolitical ideas. But the equal freedom liberalism has brought is essentially the right to shop among goods, services, and “lifestyles.” The right to care about anything—family, neighborhood, church, heritage, and the truths about human nature and existence they express—except the economic-political regime, however, has shriveled under the onslaught of unelected management. Religion is judicially quarantined and separated from citizenship, state agencies assume familial functions, careerism undermines community, education becomes more vocational and less humane, and obligatory tolerance truncates public conversation. Meanwhile, epidemic psychological depression, uncontainable crime, endless warfare, and ever-increasing concentration of wealth indicate that liberalism’s consumer paradise is far from perfect—indeed, will and must collapse. Without any specialist jargon, reams of statistics, or heavy-handed anecdotes, Kalb makes us see how all the ills of liberalism logically proceed from its deliberate philosophical poverty. Preparatory to liberalism’s demise, he suggests adopting a traditionalist outlook and resuming the loyalties and the functions liberal hegemony has tried so hard to suppress and usurp. Slow reading, perhaps, but vital and vitalizing.

TEXAS TECH FOOTBALL THOUGHTS

With seven  games under their belt and a new national ranking the Texas Tech Red Raiders won some respect. Except for two miscue's on the field this 5 and 2 team could very well be 7 and 0. UT's Jordan Shipley scored on a 46 yard punt return in the first quarter and gave the Longhorn thugs an attitudinal boost that spawned their victory. During the Houston game (oh Lord give me that one back) Texas Tech made several errors both defensively and offensively that, having simply overcome just one, would have given Tech a narrow victory over a then ranked team.  

The Red Raiders lost two outstanding offensive lineman and their one/two atomic bomb Graham Harrell/Michael Crabtree punch last year. Yet, I have maintained all along that this year's team is better than last year's. They play together with more cohesiveness and confidence. Yesterday, ABC's Craig James offered the same affirming assessment of the group. And, now I find a few other Raider zealots infer the same:

The very first drive (of the Nebraska game) was a microcosm of the entire game. QB Steven Sheffield completed 18 yards worth of passes to WR Alexander Torres and then bad things started to happen. A false start and Sheffield taking a sack led Texas Tech to have to make a play on 3rd and 13. Sheffield completes one of the highlight catches of my life to WR Lyle Leong for 34 yards. The Red Raiders now have a first down and Sheffield promptly gets sacked for 10 yards and Texas Tech then faces a 3rd and 17 only to have WR Detron Lewis catch a pass for 22 yards. What looked to be a simple screen pass to RB Baron Batch sealed the drive (his skip into the endzone reminded me a bit of Eric Morris - shoutout) as the Nebraska defenders just could get around to catching Batch get to the pylon. This team faced adversity almost the entire game, or at least it looked that way from where I was watching the game, but responded at just about each and every call. It may have been the offense at times, it may have been the defense at times, and it may have been the special teams at times. At the end of the day, this team is a team of hard-working individuals and they are a team . . . collectively, they work together.

Obviously the Nebraska game handed Tech a clean slate. With the Texas thugs clearly in the Big 12 South driver's seat, our Red Raiders must play for a consolation prize. But, given preseason expectations and minor adversities, second place in the south puts them in a position to end up in the top ten with perhaps more respectability than last year. Myopic Yankee journalists tend to forget about early season losses. We painfully discovered this fact last year when a late season shellacking from Oklahoma destroyed Tech's season credibility. Never mind that they finished the season with only one loss. Forget about Graham Harrell's Heisman talent. Throw their victories over two top ranked teams out the window. Journalists frame late season losses incorrectly. 

This year's team is indeed a good team who, under the pirate lunacy leadership of Mike Leach (he's crazy like a fox and we love it), has stretched mightily forward in their program's self-esteem. Never again will a young high school standout play football at Texas Tech expecting mediocrity at best. Red Raiders are winners. And, by God, at the end of the day ranked thugs will give them the respect they now deserve.

CONSERVATIVES AND MARKET REFORM

Now that we understand the liberal's burning of Witch Limbaugh at the stake was a statist market decision Paul Mirengoff over at Powerline suggests conservatives make the market work for them too. Mirengoff's challenge:

And therein lies a lesson for conservatives: we should consider making the marketplace work for us. This means, for example, organizing boycotts of the goods and services of those whose actions (I'm less inclined to say "views") offend us. I'm not talking about trying to boycott the NFL. Let's not be ridiculous. Conservatives (including me) are at least as addicted as the rest of the country to sports, and professional football is the narcotic of choice for the American sports fan. I'm talking about directing our efforts at more vulnerable enterprises. In a sense, this is already happening. Many conservatives have deserted the mainstream media, and a number of MSM outlets are suffering in part as a result. But this represents natural gravitation, not punitive behavior. I'm suggesting that organized, punitive behavior may be the right response in some cases to left-leaning enterprises that seek our business, as well as to enterprises that, though not left-leaning per se, behave like leftists in order to maintain market share.

Conservative Christians practiced boycotts during the 1980's. They targeted in particular, advertisers who sponsored what many called filth on television. The boycotts, for a brief season, grabbed the attention of media executives. I believe evangelicals gave up the strategy and proceeded to fry other fish. The most prominent leader of evangelical boycotts was United Methodist Minister Don Wildmon, who formed the American Family Association.(AFA)

I used to ardently oppose boycotts because they simply clipped the weed without hitting the roots. And, they degraded the image of evangelicals as fundie malcontents. At the time I thought conversion of one's worldview provided a more effective strategy. Of course this rather flawed approach emerged from my young idealistic zealous faith.  Age and experience has taught me that changing a person's philosophy is often next to impossible. Furthermore, I discovered many evangelicals view liberal politics as compassionate in a sort of Christ-like way. They, of course, fail to see the big picture and liberal's tyrannical worldview. 

Perhaps Meringoff's suggestion carries a critical inference-we cannot change an institutionalized philosophy as much as we can demonstrate that conservatives play in the market place as well and deserve a voice.

NEOPURITANISM II

The Rush Limbaugh/NFL affair ought to incense Americans to the point that they no longer stand idly by and watch a corrupt media continue to play the role of the old Communist Pravda. Britisher Mark Steyn posts a piece by his old British buddy Toby Harnden who comes to Rush's defense. Steyn introduces the piece by explaining:

...Toby Harnden, has a piece on Rush and the fake slavery/James Earl Ray quotes that's better than anything you're likely to read in the dying U.S. monodailies.

Styen goes on to present the flawed logic behind liberal accusations characterizing Limbaugh as a racist:

Meanwhile, the geniuses at Media Matters say: You want chapter-and-verse on those "Slavery was great/Give James Earl Ray the Medal of Honor" quotes? Okay, here's some stuff Limbaugh has said about Obama . . . The race deck is all trump cards: Step One: You can't say that. It's racist. So you don't. Next: Step Two: You're using "code language". As I always say, "code language" is code language for "I’m inventing what you really meant to say because the actual quote doesn’t quite do the job for me." Still, you steer clear of "code language." So then: Step Three: We'll just concoct it out of whole cloth, and, after running for a week with "Slavery Advocate Wants Medal of Honor for MLK Killer", our fact-checkers will confirm the accuracy of that statement by citing something you said about Donovan McNabb or Obama's economic policy. Close enough.

So a nice upper crust degree from Harvard proves your intelligence. And, your pseudo-intellectualism trumps all arguments. But, here's one you liberals never knew how to deal with: selfish hearts (Christians use the old fashioned term"sin")trump the highest I.Q.'s and lead to a legion of evils. Your selfish desires for absolute power has corrupted you absolutely and turned you into foolish idiots.

NEOPURITANS OUST LIMBAUGH FROM NFL

As a kid I fearfully watched historical documentaries my teachers showed in class concerning the 1692 Salem Witch trials. This poor helpless little fourth grader sometimes sat trembling at the reenactments of little Puritan girls swooning helplessly. The hypnotizing click click click of the old projector failed to sooth me in the face of such a harrowing drama. Following the movie our teacher laughed at the irrational nature of these dumb, uneducated little winches who keeled over in Elvis Presleyesque style while reluctantly facing certain individuals perceived to be witches. No trial, no factual evidence, just simple emotion was enough to burn the supposed ghouls at the stake. Then we thanked God we no longer live in a frontier nation eager to lynch the first unsuspecting little soul who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

Fast forward to 21st century America-the place where intellectualism and well rounded cultural manners prevail. Or, so we dispassionately resign ourselves to believe until we read about the latest brouhaha over Rush Limbaugh buying an NFL team. Today we learn that Limbaugh is out. And the very false bigotry that despicable liberals accuse him of engaging in pale in comparison the out right evil bigotry that forced Limbaugh out. Mind numbed media types who make a mockery of the Salem witch trials burned Limbaugh and conservatives at the stake by refusing to fact check false statements attributed to Limbaugh concerning slavery and James Earl Ray. Like the foolish mob of old the liberal media drank the cool-aid and based their verdict on preconceived fantasies they made up because of their dark desire for making those fantasies a reality. Have they no shame? In the good old land of liberty do we dare utter the notion that wide spread corruption runs through liberal blood? Liberal institutions such as the mainstream media are beyond redemption. They no longer seek truth, but instead believe any lie that promises to prop up the institution. A grand old movement that once rooted itself in compassion, equality, and hope now destroys the very human nature it ardently sought to save. People no longer matter except when they empower the institution. This institutionalism possesses a chilling nature that appears good, yet deep down at its core it has no soul. 

I've listened to Rush Limbaugh since approximately 1989. Never have I once heard him utter or even hint at a racist remark. And if he ever said anything resembling such it got taken out of context. Rush is a good and decent man. Like he insists, most of his listeners habitually tune in because he says what we already believe. Instead of continuing to defend Rush, however, I will relinquish the rest of this post to his own monologue which provides a more compelling defense of his work. Listen below:(via Breitbart) 

BOB DYLAN BAD ART

I used to love Bob Dylan as much as the next guy. Somehow his smokey hillbilly nasal twang and hard travelin' poetic artistry seemed genetically right for one another. But, Dylan's voice, as expected, has not aged well. In fact, listening to him is an excruciating experience. Ann Althouse links us to this post critical of Dylan's new Christmas album: 

When the star stumbles through "I'll Be Home for Christmas," he sounds like the family's disinherited black sheep embarrassment, delivering the sentiment as a threat rather than a promise. In "Winter Wonderland," when that treacly chorus coos, "We'll have lots of fun with Mr. Snowman," he sounds psychotic as he answers, "Until the other kids all knock him down!" And by the time he starts slaughtering the familiar Latin refrain of "Adeste fideles" -- "Venite adoremus Dominum" becomes, no kidding, "Benito adore-a-moose domino!" -- you don't know whether to wince or guffaw.

The telling part about Althouse's post is the fact that she categorizes the entire piece under "bad art." 'Nuff said.

GLENN BECK MAN ON FIRE

Glenn Beck gets a little out there for me sometimes. And, he sure loves displaying his multi thousand $$$ Panerai watch before the cameras( I have no problem with one wearing a Panerai, but I do have a problem with hammy showoffs). Yet, Beck is a zealous man on a mission. Indeed, he seems to do a yeoman's's job in holding Obama accountable to the public. For that I applaud him. Beck recently, in his own showboat manner, gave the White House "what for" as a result of their targeting Fox News public enemy number 1. Watch Beck below.

MORE AMERICAN TYRANNY

One defines tyranny as "the government or rule of a tyrant or absolute ruler." A free market system which debates ideas in a public square, and invites all who will to participate, constitutes America's seminal vision of liberty. Over the course of history, however, our baneful sense of personal entitlement to the exclusion of sacrifice has led to increased government intervention. The battle cry of the day has evolved into "I what I am entitled to possess," which in today's language certainly means, "I look at my neighbor's apparent prosperity and I deserve a piece of his ill-gotten-gains." Self-centered individuals view other's success through skeptical eyes. Those who desire goodness for all allow successful people to both motivate and challenge them to rise a little higher. Judging by this last round of elections one apprehensively concludes that tyranny knocks at the door because malcontents won the day. And each day brings news of another move toward government absolutism. The latest involves this news concerning Fox News:

The upcoming 2020 Census comes with a mega-budget for advertising to media companies to encourage citizens to participate – but some media companies may be banned if the Obama-run Census Bureau has its way. The Census Bureau’s web site details its planned media offensive “in order to inform everyone about the 2010 Census and its importance, the U.S. Census Bureau has developed an integrated communications campaign (ICC) that includes paid media, earned media, a national partnership program and the Census in Schools program.” But the Census Bureau also makes clear that media with “controversial talk” formats will be banned from getting any ad deals, as will other media that don’t fit the Census Bureau criteria. According to the Census, prejudice and bigotry are the biggest moral crimes and saying something bad about an imam can get you blacklisted. The Census Bureau website even provides a ”Questionaire” that media applicants are required to fill out to see if they are up to snuff, as the Bureau sees it. On the online form, question number one asks media vendors if they adhere to the Bureau’s “Content Appropriateness guidelines” and “identifies restricted environments for all Census paid media and value added opportunities.” The Bureau then lists the criteria that will put a media company their blacklist: Excessive sex or violence Anti-U.S. government sentiments or supporting any violent acts toward the government or the American people, including but not limited to terrorism Questionable moral or ethical values, particularly dealing with bigotry or prejudice Denigration of any cultural group or faith-based communities (imams, ministers, nuns, priests, rabbis, etc.) Anticipated controversial programming that cannot be pre-screened (i.e. reality programming) Controversial talk formats The Census Bureau hasn’t weighed in yet, but we’re wondering if they think Fox’s O’Reilly, Hannity and Beck fit into their “controversial talk” category.

How quickly liberals forget the much despised Nixonian politics. Some of us old timers remember Nixon blacklisting certain news outlets for their vigorous debates with the President. Helen Thomas remembers and severely reprimanded the Obama administration a while back:

Following a testy exchange during Wednesday’s briefing with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas told CNSNews.com that not even Richard Nixon tried to control the press the way President Obama is trying to control the press. “Nixon didn’t try to do that,” Thomas said. “They couldn’t control (the media). They didn’t try. “What the hell do they think we are, puppets?” Thomas said. “They’re supposed to stay out of our business. They are our public servants. We pay them.” Thomas said she was especially concerned about the arrangement between the Obama Administration and a writer from the liberal Huffington Post Web site. The writer was invited by the White House to President Obama’s press conference last week on the understanding that he would ask Obama a question about Iran from among questions that had been sent to him by people in Iran. “When you call the reporter the night before you know damn well what they are going to ask to control you,” Thomas said. “I’m not saying there has never been managed news before, but this is carried to fare-thee-well--for the town halls, for the press conferences,” she said. “It’s blatant. They don’t give a damn if you know it or not. They ought to be hanging their heads in shame.”

Chris Wallace of Fox News offers his assessment of the Obama administration. Wallace's view hints at the larger picture which indicts our culture as a whiners. Perhaps get what we deserve:

AMAZON DEALS

Top ten electronic deals at Amazon.

MR. TELEPROMPTER WINS THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

Michael Ramirez, in his own compelling way, reminds us that Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize for the empty rhetoric Mr. Teleprompter provided him. (Click on picture)

NOBEL WINNERS AND LOSERS

Neocon Express offers a glimpse at the winners and losers of the Nobel Peace Prize down through the ages. Interestingly, the only consistency appears to be that Western leaders in particular who believe in peace through a strong defense lose out. For those of us with a spiritual bent, I believe perhaps leaders who offer personal spiritual peace ought to receive notable consideration. After all, a warring soul leads to war between people and nations. 

The prolific evangelist Billy Graham deserves consideration for his tireless efforts to bring spiritual peace. He once penned a book entitled Peace With God The Secret Happiness in which he challenged nations to find peace through God in Christ. My experience as a minister confirms Graham's efforts. Those who discover peace with God through the Savior find both personal and relational healing.

Graham offered a unique twist to his ministry separating him from the Elmer Gantry types who preceded him. First he formed an association entitled Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. The organization paid him a set salary and held his evangelistic team fiscally accountable. Second, he always cooperated with the local pastors where he preached. The Billy Graham archives located at Wheaton College explains:

After 1957 Graham generally held three to five crusades a year, while the number of meetings held by the associate evangelists varied more widely. Usually the associates led crusades in smaller cities and towns or even in single churches. Some specialized in different parts of the world. Akbar Haqq and Robert Cunville, for example, regularly held meetings in India and Howard Jones in Africa. All the associates, however, also held meetings in the United States and other countries. From 1964 to 1976, the crusade staff, known as the team, was based in Atlanta, Georgia. Before and after that they were at the main office in Minneapolis. The name of this department was changed from "Team Office" to "Field Ministries " in the late 1980s. Reports on all of Graham's crusades and some of the associates' regularly appeared in Decision and hour long versions of several services from a major crusade would be broadcast on television usually a few months after the crusade close. In major crusades in large cities, both in the United States and other countries, Graham would preach to hundreds of thousands or even millions of people. The BGEA only held crusades in places where they had been invited by a large number of local pastors and laypersons, although the organization received so many such invitations that the evangelists could virtually pick the place they wanted to go. Staff would investigate each invitation to see if there was wide support for the meeting and then a decision would be made whether to accept the offer or not. For many months ahead of time, a crusade director and other staff people from the BGEA would be working with the local executive committee (incorporated as a separate entity), setting up subordinate committees; recruiting choir members, ushers, counselors, and others; making arrangements for the auditorium or stadium; overseeing publicity; etc. In general, local volunteers prepared for the meetings under the guidance of BGEA staff who followed a procedure developed in hundreds of such crusades. The services themselves consisted of singing by the volunteer choir, a testimony from some well known person, the offering, solos by George Beverly Shea and/or other singers, and the sermon. People who came forward at the evangelist's invitation at the end of services to become Christians or to renew their commitment or to get more information were referred to volunteer counselors who would later refer them to a cooperating pastor in their community. They also received a workbook through the mail to help them as they began Bible study.

Hat's off to a marvelous peacemaker whose peace prize awaits him in the life to come.

MICHAEL MOORE'S CHALLENGE TO OBAMA

The despicable Michael Moore revealed his utopian dream cards yesterday when he challenged Obama to earn the Nobel Peace Prize. Unfortunately Moore unmasked the reality behind his idealism-utopianists see their potential world through rose colored glasses. There is no Oz and the wizard is a fairytale. But, one cannot reasonably explain that to little boys like Michael Moore:

Dear President Obama, How outstanding that you've been recognized today as a man of peace. Your swift, early pronouncements -- you will close Guantanamo, you will bring the troops home from Iraq, you want a nuclear weapon-free world, you admitted to the Iranians that we overthrew their democratically-elected president in 1953, you made that great speech to the Islamic world in Cairo, you've eliminated that useless term "The War on Terror," you've put an end to torture -- these have all made us and the rest of the world feel a bit more safe considering the disaster of the past eight years. In eight months you have done an about face and taken this country in a much more sane direction. But... The irony that you have been awarded this prize on the 2nd day of the ninth year of what is quickly becoming your War in Afghanistan is not lost on anyone. You are truly at a crossroads now. You can listen to the generals and expand the war (only to result in a far-too-predictable defeat) or you can declare Bush's Wars over, and bring all the troops home. Now. That's what a true man of peace would do. There is nothing wrong with you doing what the last guy failed to do -- capture the man or men responsible for the mass murder of 3,000 people on 9/11. BUT YOU CANNOT DO THAT WITH TANKS AND TROOPS. You are pursuing a criminal, not an army. You do not use a stick of dynamite to get rid of a mouse. The Taliban is another matter. That is a problem for the people of Afghanistan to resolve -- just as we did in 1776, the French did in 1789, the Cubans did in 1959, the Nicaraguans did in 1979 and the people of East Berlin did in 1989. One thing is certain through all revolutions by people who wish to be free -- they ultimately have to bring about that freedom themselves. Others can be supportive, but freedom can not be delivered from the front seat of someone else's Humvee. You have to end our involvement in Afghanistan now. If you don't, you'll have no choice but to return the prize to Oslo. Yours, Michael Moore MMFlint@aol.com MichaelMoore.com P.S. Your opposition has spent the morning attacking you for bringing such good will to this country. Why do they hate America so much? I get the feeling that if you found the cure for cancer this afternoon they'd be denouncing you for destroying free enterprise because cancer centers would have to close. There are those who say you've done nothing yet to deserve this award. As far as I'm concerned, the very fact that you've offered to walk into the minefield of hate and try to undo the irreparable damage the last president did is not only appreciated by me and millions of others, it is also an act of true bravery. That's why you got the prize. The whole world is depending on the U.S. -- and you -- to literally save this planet. Let's not let them down.

Those who want to delve a little deeper into Michael Moore's skewed look at the world might read the classic Nostromo by the immortal Joseph Conrad.Nostromo unveils the tragic reality inherent to the millions who sold their souls for a fairytale. Amazon editors offer this synopsis of the book:

One of the greatest novels of the twentieth century, Joseph Conrad’s Nostromo is an immensely exciting tale of love, revolution, and politics set in the mythical South American country of Costaguana during the 1890s. Ten years after his father is murdered by a brutal dictator, Englishman Charles Gould arrives in Costaguana to reopen the family silver mine. But instead of ushering in a shining era of prosperity and progress, the return of the silver engenders a new cycle of violence as Costaguana erupts in civil war, initiated by rival warlords determined to seize the mine and its riches. In desperation, Gould turns to the only man who can save the mine’s treasure—Nostromo, the incorruptible head of the local dockworkers, who protects the silver from rebel forces by taking it out to sea. But disaster strikes, burdening Nostromo with a terrible secret that forever alters the fate of everyone involved with the mine. A stunning monument to futility, Nostromo reveals how honor, idealism, and loyalty are inadequate defenses against the inexorable assault of corruption and evil.

TYRANTS RULE NOBEL

Should we care what European tyrants think of America? The same leftist mentality that impelled the Nobel committee to give out their worthless award to our leftist president rules much of the world. Yet, these same cowards beat down the American political doors whenever threatened or in need of cash in order to save their rotten infantile butts. Even our own tyrannical liberals appear shocked at yesterday's bizarre news. The folks at Newsweek's Gaggle offer a synopsis of reactions:

While liberal pundits won’t necessarily be lining up behind all of Limbaugh’s views, there is equal parts astonishment in the left blogosphere as there is in the right. Daily Beast blogger Peter Beinart calls it “Obama’s Nobel Farce”: “Perhaps next they’ll start giving Oscars not to the people who have made the best movies of last year, but to the people who have the best chance of making the best movies next year.” He says he likes Obama as much as the next liberal blogger, but by giving the award to Obama, the Nobel Committee is just proving that they’ve fallen in love with celebrity and that giving Obama the prize as an 'atta boy' they are only feeding the gap that conservatives are working to widen—“between Obamamania as global hype and Obama’s actual accomplishments.” The basic line: Obama won the prize not for being himself as much as for not being George W. Politics Daily Melinda Hennenberger points out, “It's not exactly like giving an Academy Award to a Vince Vaughn movie, but "surprising'' doesn't begin to cover it. No word yet on whether Glenn Beck's head has exploded.” Ezra Kleinadded a tweet: "Obama also awarded Nobel Prize in chemistry. 'He's just got great chemistry,' says Nobel Committee." Ana Marie Cox wrote: "Apparently Nobel prizes now being awarded to anyone who is not George Bush."