So, I have been focusing a lot on politics as of late and figure that it is time to switch gears, perhaps to something a little more palatable for my readers. Needless to say, I've had a few recent discussions regarding some form or other of relationships with various friends and figured that I could use that as a springboard for thought for the next few posts before mixing it up again. As such, I would like to start by including a poem that I had written six years ago dealing with relationships. A little background is necessary. At the time that the poem was written, I was attending a singles ward in Claremont (church for single adults between the ages of 19-31). I wrote the poem based off of two things: my observations and my theories. Keep in mind, this is not the best poetry that you will ever read--I'm sure that you can easily pick it apart. Nevertheless, Epistle 3 contains many of the theories that I had developed six years ago, some of which I have expanded upon in the present. Feel free to skip to that section of the poem if theories on relationships interest you. If not, simply skip this post all together.
THE ORACLES OF CLAREMONT
by Brett Hall
(February 2003)
Epistle 1
Argument
On The Wisdom Of The Oracles of Claremont
The oracles of Claremont rarely speak
On why we men and women are so weak
In our pursuits to obtain happiness
And grasp the grace of God whose will's to bless.
The oracles, they say that talk is cheap,
And with vain words, vain practices we reap,
And in our clicks and in our paltry ways
We scurry through our most abhorrent days
As singles in a world of married bliss,
We dream of marriage long before a kiss.
O fools who dream of capturing a mate
without the effort of a simple date.
What reason's lacking deep within the mind
That thinks to wait, a better one to find?
'Tis foolishness to think that one exists
Who'll top the current rankings of your lists.
So settle down, let reason mark your way,
And work toward a more productive day.
Use reason and your heart and you'll abound--
These proverbs here portrayed may prove profound.
Epistle 2
Argument
On The Proverbs Of Dating; Foremost Advice For Men, Followed By That For Women
Why is it that our love always begins
With those whose hearts we know we'll never win?
How often has your interest been ignored
By one with whom your dreams has been abhorred?
When touching issues that relate to love,
As fools we seek that which is far above
Our own capacity to stretch and reach,
Rejection is the law we fail to breach.
A principle that every man must learn:
Pursue what's in your grasp lest you get burned.
Too often men pursue beyond their means
And become jilted, upset and obscene.
They can't control indifference and spite
And rant and rave within a lonely night.
This pain a man might easily remove
If he would but pursue what he might prove.
If one has not an education yet,
He shant pursue a woman doctorate.
If one may only rise to five foot tall,
He shant pursue a six foot babe at all.
If one has constant battles with his weight,
He shant procure the petite for his date.
If one can't live the standards of the Lord,
He must expect that he will be abhorred.
O fools who judge a woman with their eyes,
Know this, they judge you too and may despise
The very person you have come to be
With your own faults and chided heraldry.
A principle that every woman needs:
Show int'rest both in words and also deeds.
If a man has called you once and then again,
It is alright for you to then call him.
The interest that you show, I guarantee,
Will lead to dating (or so it is with me).
For men will test the waters here and there
To see if women even really care.
And thus a man will seek to you invite
To some activity some weekend night,
And if you never invite in return
He'll feel that if he asks you he'll get burned.
And when a man has asked you on a date
Do not despair and some excuse relate.
If you've no interest tell him rather plain,
For honesty will keep both parties sane.
But if in truth you're busy on that eve,
And you would like your words to be believed,
Then tell him, "O, this Friday's rather bad,
But if you'd like, next weekend I'd be glad."
How often one's attempts are all in vain
Because the other party won't speak plain.
Epistle 3
Argument
On The Proverbs Of Relationships
So I shall speak now to the general crowd
With a few proverbs if I am allowed,
That explores theories contemplated long
For you to judge if they be right or wrong:
In solitude, what happiness for man
May reach and bless according to the plan?
A noble mount with peace its own reward--
This peace is doubled with a mate adored.
And what of joy within a meadow green?
One's twice as happy when one share the scene.
And what of worries, half when all alone?
'Tis twice the comfort when support is known.
Love's supreme wisdom, mortal and divine,
Put it into action and a soul's refined.
The deepest things within us can't be pressed
By one who wants the other to confess
Of all that deep within them may reside,
For this is given freely or denied.
That which we truly love is rarely seen,
For eyes know not just where the heart has been,
And one who seems a friend more than the rest
Is where love is and where it's hidden best.
How oft we settle with being content
With what we have and not with what is meant
For all the children, God's posterity,
To inherit, be sealed and blessed be.
How oft we speak as if we are to prove
The means by which another wills to love,
When words as proofs prove one is nothing more
Than insecure with what he may adore.
Love is a gift, its price--sincerity,
And if you have it--happy you will be.
The soul's true language is uttered in tears
Whether in happiness, anger, or fears.
Mark them well and you will understand
How love may move a lover's caring hand
To soothe in times of need and to repent
When one has caused the other to lament.
And further when one's happiness unfolds
And you may share that moment made of gold.
But tears unnoticed fall upon the ground,
One tiny drop, yet splashing it resounds
Into the distant caverns of despair
Leaving a lover nevermore to care.
And caring not, a lover is annoyed,
Creating a deep chasm dark and void.
And poetry--it is a dying art
Which never proves the way to a dear heart.
It cannot move a woman's to affection--
It stimulates the heart already won.
And when in love seek not a soul to change--
This makes relationships become estranged.
But seek to serve with honest charity
And change will come, and that most nat'rally.
One's life is too much filled with pain to waste,
live right, live happy, and please live chaste.
Pain pierces life in many ways too far,
Don't add that which prevention would not scar.
Uncommon wisdom lies in common fields,
Uncovered once, all fruitfulness it yields.
And when exposed it leads a happy life
Amid our pains, our struggles, and our strife.
And what is wisdom most important for?
To find a mate--the process we explore.
And many false perceptions herein lie
That lead to lonely heartache and deny
The searching soul of what that soul may find
If false perceptions did not make it blind.
In truth there is but one requirement
That makes our search one which is heaven sent:
'Tis this, that everyone should seek a spouse
That they make happy, not that they arouse.
'Tis not to say you lack intimacy,
But that it's used within a harmony
That leads a soul beyond lustful desire
Into a perfect love that Gods admire.
Beware the soul who's stingy in selection,
Who always seeks an image of perfection.
Perfection comes within eternal spheres
After a couple's tried a thousand years.
Rather, seek a soul with great potential
And your reward in life will be substantial.
But also be weary of compromise
That fills one's heart and soul with petty lies.
For truly one should marry but the best
And leave behind desires for the rest.
But best is something only you define,
What you consider best may not be mine.
How sad to say you settled on your mate,
Leaving her to feel she's second rate.
But best is not so easily discerned--
The best is found in one that you have earned.
So wipe away all of your vain excuse
And date the woman that you freely choose.
For agency's a gift given to all
That through our choices we may rise or fall.
So choose in wisdom with a true desire
That you may live within celestial fire.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
100th Post
So, I have finally reached my 100th post and, as promised, I am going to offer a list for my readers. I allowed my readers to vote on which list they would like and the list of 100 favorite songs won out in large part to the enthusiastic replies by my good friend Mike Gissel who created a blog just so that he could vote! The bad news is that I couldn't come up with a list of 100 favorite songs. . . there were just too many songs that I couldn't eliminate, so instead, for my 100th post, you are getting my 200 favorite songs. If you think that is cheating then just read from 100 to 1. Thanks for all of your input and enjoy the list.
200—California Love—[edited version] (2Pac featuring Dr. Dre)
199—On The Ouside (Oingo Boingo)
198—Simple Kind Of Life (No Doubt)
197—Rose-Colored Times (Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories)
196—Silent Shout (The Knife)
195—Smile Like You Mean It (The Killers)
194—Dom Andra (Kent)
193—Drive (Incubus)
192—Life In One Day (Howard Jones)
191—Special (Garbage)
190—Let It Die (Foo Fighters)
189—Hunter (Dido)
188—Hard Time Killing Floor Blues (Chris Thomas King)
187—There’s No Other Way (Blur)
186—Our Swords (Band of Horses)
185—Roam (B-52s)
184—Colorblind (Natalie Walker)
183—Once Upon A Time (Waltz For Debbie)
182—Ballerina Out Of Control (The Ocean Blue)
181—I’m Shipping Up To Boston (Dropkick Murphy’s)
180—Steam Machine (Daft Punk)
179—Vinheta Quebrante (CéU)
178—Wink Of An Eye (Kaskade)
177—Along The Wall (Leigh Nash)
176—You’re A Wolf (Sea Wolf)
175—Hard Rain (Shout Out Louds)
174—Heretics (Andrew Bird)
173—Comforting Sounds (Mew)
172—Tom’s Diner (Suzanne Vega)
171—Such Great Heights (The Postal Service)
170—Buffalo Soldier (Bob Marley)
169—From Paris To Berlin (Infernal)
168—Mama, You Got A Daughter (John Lee Hooker)
167—Lovers-Flower Garden (Arigat Orchestra—House of Flying Daggers Sound Track)
166—The Long Day Is Over (Norah Jones)
165—Starry Eyed Surprise (Paul Oakenfold)
164—Nature Of The Experiment (Tokyo Police Club)
163—Gepetto (Belly)
162—Heaven (Lamb)
161—One Perfect Sunrise (Orbital)
160—We’re Going To Be Friends (The White Stripes)
159—Busy Child (The Crystal Method)
158—Message In A Bottle (The Police)
157—No New Tale To Tell (Love & Rockets)
156—Poison Arrow (ABC)
155—It’s No Good (Depeche Mode)
154—Blow Me Away (Breaking Benjamin)
153—Ayla-Ayla Part 2-Club Mix (Ayla)
152—Trying To Be Clever (Airliner)
151—New Soul (Yael Naim)
150—In Between Days (The Cure)
149—Island In The Sun (Weezer)
148—Counting Backwards (The Velvet Teen)
147—Synaesthesia-Fly Away (Thrillseekers)
146—Tribute (Tenacious D)
145—Time (Stonebridge featuring Therese)
144—Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want (The Smiths)
143—Unsound (Savoy)
142—The Beat Is Rockin’ (Erick E)
141—Dirty Mouth (Hot Hot Heat)
140—Unravel (Bjork)
139—Fidelity (Regina Spektor)
138—Wonderwall (Oasis)
137—I Want You (Third Eye Blind)
136—Suedehead (Morrissey)
135—Somewhere Only We Know (Keane)
134—We’re From Barcelona (I’m From Barcelona)
133—Rain (Gaelle)
132—Renaissance (Hooverphonic)
131—Idle-The Rabbit Song (Hem)
130—Here I Go Impossible Again (Erasure)
129—Remember Me, v.1 (Blue Boy)
128—Eple (Röyksopp)
127—Talk (Cold Play)
126—It’s Not Up To You (Bjork)
125—Today (Smashing Pumpkins)
124—Breathe In (Frou Frou)
123—Nothing Left To Lose (Mat Kearney)
122—Running Out Of Reasons (Magne f)
121—You And Me (Club 8)
120—Bruised (Lasse Lindh)
119—Blue (Monaco)
118—You Don’t Have To Change (Magne f)
117—Winter (Tori Amos)
116—Prelude From Unaccompanied Cello Suite No, 1 in G Major (J.S. Bach)
115—Put ‘Em High (Stonebridge featuring Therese)
114—Boyfriends Stay (Club 8)
113—I Melt With You (Modern English)
112—Sudden Rush (Erlend Øye)
111—Back To The Old House (The Smiths)
110—Rock Me Gently (Erasure)
109—Am I Wry? No (Mew)
108—I Wanna Be Adored (The Stone Roses)
107—Move For Me (Kaskade)
106—The Boxer (The Chemical Brothers, feat Tim Burgess)
105—Say Yes If You Love Me (Acid House Kings)
104—Lips Like Sugar (Echo & The Bunnymen)
103—Summer’s Evening, Op. 71, No, 2 (Edvard Grieg)
102—Dani California (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
101—Moss (Gusgus)
100—Pagan Poetry (Bjork)
99—1979 (Smashing Pumpkins)
98—Ten Miles Back (The Crystal Method)
97—The Dead Heart (Midnight Oil)
96—Saeglópur (Sigur Rós)
95—Soul Meets Body (Death Cab For Cutie)
94—Comfortable (Fleming & John)
93—Walk On (U2)
92—Släpp In Solen (Ingenting)
91—Waiting For The Siren’s Call (New Order)
90—Running Up That Hill (Kate Bush)
89—Ready Steady Go (Paul Oakenfold)
88—The Rebels (The Cranberries)
87—Fast Cars (U2)
86—We’re Simple Minds (Club 8)
85—Better Together (Jack Johnson)
84—C’mon Through (Lasse Lindh)
83—River (Natalie Merchant)
82—Heaven (Club 8)
81—Burning (The Whitest Boy Alive)
80—London School Of Economics (Acid House Kings)
79—Brothers On A Hotel Bed (Death Cab For Cutie)
78—You Make Me Feel (Gus Gus)
77—Liz On Top Of The World (Jean-Yves Thibaudet)
76—Solitude On The Mountain (Ole Bull)
75—Someone Else (The Radio Dept.)
74—Gold In The Air Of Summer (Kings of Convenience)
73—Crystal (New Order)
72—Take On Me (a-ha)
71—Young Folks (Peter, Bjorn, & John)
70—The Black Keys Work (Erlend Øye)
69—Bizarre Love Triangle (New Order)
68—A Long Term Plan (Acid House Kings)
67—Here To Stay (New Order)
66—She Lives By The Water (Club 8)
65—Monochrome (The Sundays)
64—The Employment Pages (Death Cab For Cutie)
63—With Or Without You (U2)
62—Blood On My Hands (The Sundays)
61—Failure (Kings of Convenience)
60—Holy Ground (a-ha)
59—Run Wild (New Order)
58—Ask (The Smiths)
57—The Summers Of Our Youth (a-ha)
56—Young Bride (Midlake)
55—Yankee Bayonet (The Decemberists)
54—A Place In My Heart (Club 8)
53—I’d Rather Dance With You (Kings of Convenience)
52—Did Anyone Approach You? (a-ha)
51—Pulling Our Weight (The Radio Dept.)
50—Vivid (Electronic)
49—The Secret Life of Daydreams (Jean-Yves Thibaudet)
48—Norwegian March, Op. 54, No. 2 (Edvard Grieg)
47—All Through The Night (The Mormon Tabernacle Choir)
46—Whatever You Want (Club 8)
45—The Saturday Train (Acid House Kings)
44—Where The Streets Have No Name (U2)
43—Parallel Lines (Kings of Convenience)
42—You’ll Never Get Over Me (a-ha)
41—Heartstopper (Emilliana Torrini)
40—Vicious Streak (New Order)
39—The Mariner’s Revenge Song (The Decemberists)
38—A Bad Dream (Keane)
37—Crosses (Jose Gonzalez)
36—Whalebone (Savoy)
35—Shh (Frou Frou)
34—What Else Is There? (Röyksopp)
33—Californication (The Red Hot Chili Peppers)
32—Last Goodbye (Jeff Buckley)
31—Galapagos (Smashing Pumpkins)
30—Figures (The Whitest Boy Alive)
29—Heartbeats (Jose Gonzalez)
28—Reflected (Ronderlin)
27—There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (The Smiths)
26—Mushaboom (Feist)
25—Nothing Here To Hold You (Magne f)
24—Seasick, Yet Still Docked (Morrissey)
23—Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division)
22—Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect (The Decemberists)
21—I Feel My Savior’s Love (The Mormon Tabernacle Choir)
20—Sunday Morning (Acid House Kings)
19—Folk Song (The Sundays)
18—Running To Stand Still (U2)
17—Where Damage Isn’t Already Done (The Radio Dept.)
16—Your Heart Is An Empty Room (Death Cab For Cutie)
15—Here’s Where The Story Ends (The Sundays)
14—Misread (Kings of Convenience)
13—Krafty (New Order)
12—Summer Moved On (a-ha)
11—Summer On The Westhill (Kings of Convenience)
10—Gone (The Sundays)
9—Marching Bands Of Manhattan (Death Cab For Cutie)
8—I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For (U2)
7—Jesus, Walk With Me (Club 8)
6—I Don’t Like It Like This (The Radio Dept.)
5—That’s Because You Drive Me (Acid House Kings)
4—Regret (New Order)
3—I Don’t Know What I Can Save You From (Kings of Convenience)
2—Analogue (a-ha)
1—Temptation (New Order)
200—California Love—[edited version] (2Pac featuring Dr. Dre)
199—On The Ouside (Oingo Boingo)
198—Simple Kind Of Life (No Doubt)
197—Rose-Colored Times (Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories)
196—Silent Shout (The Knife)
195—Smile Like You Mean It (The Killers)
194—Dom Andra (Kent)
193—Drive (Incubus)
192—Life In One Day (Howard Jones)
191—Special (Garbage)
190—Let It Die (Foo Fighters)
189—Hunter (Dido)
188—Hard Time Killing Floor Blues (Chris Thomas King)
187—There’s No Other Way (Blur)
186—Our Swords (Band of Horses)
185—Roam (B-52s)
184—Colorblind (Natalie Walker)
183—Once Upon A Time (Waltz For Debbie)
182—Ballerina Out Of Control (The Ocean Blue)
181—I’m Shipping Up To Boston (Dropkick Murphy’s)
180—Steam Machine (Daft Punk)
179—Vinheta Quebrante (CéU)
178—Wink Of An Eye (Kaskade)
177—Along The Wall (Leigh Nash)
176—You’re A Wolf (Sea Wolf)
175—Hard Rain (Shout Out Louds)
174—Heretics (Andrew Bird)
173—Comforting Sounds (Mew)
172—Tom’s Diner (Suzanne Vega)
171—Such Great Heights (The Postal Service)
170—Buffalo Soldier (Bob Marley)
169—From Paris To Berlin (Infernal)
168—Mama, You Got A Daughter (John Lee Hooker)
167—Lovers-Flower Garden (Arigat Orchestra—House of Flying Daggers Sound Track)
166—The Long Day Is Over (Norah Jones)
165—Starry Eyed Surprise (Paul Oakenfold)
164—Nature Of The Experiment (Tokyo Police Club)
163—Gepetto (Belly)
162—Heaven (Lamb)
161—One Perfect Sunrise (Orbital)
160—We’re Going To Be Friends (The White Stripes)
159—Busy Child (The Crystal Method)
158—Message In A Bottle (The Police)
157—No New Tale To Tell (Love & Rockets)
156—Poison Arrow (ABC)
155—It’s No Good (Depeche Mode)
154—Blow Me Away (Breaking Benjamin)
153—Ayla-Ayla Part 2-Club Mix (Ayla)
152—Trying To Be Clever (Airliner)
151—New Soul (Yael Naim)
150—In Between Days (The Cure)
149—Island In The Sun (Weezer)
148—Counting Backwards (The Velvet Teen)
147—Synaesthesia-Fly Away (Thrillseekers)
146—Tribute (Tenacious D)
145—Time (Stonebridge featuring Therese)
144—Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want (The Smiths)
143—Unsound (Savoy)
142—The Beat Is Rockin’ (Erick E)
141—Dirty Mouth (Hot Hot Heat)
140—Unravel (Bjork)
139—Fidelity (Regina Spektor)
138—Wonderwall (Oasis)
137—I Want You (Third Eye Blind)
136—Suedehead (Morrissey)
135—Somewhere Only We Know (Keane)
134—We’re From Barcelona (I’m From Barcelona)
133—Rain (Gaelle)
132—Renaissance (Hooverphonic)
131—Idle-The Rabbit Song (Hem)
130—Here I Go Impossible Again (Erasure)
129—Remember Me, v.1 (Blue Boy)
128—Eple (Röyksopp)
127—Talk (Cold Play)
126—It’s Not Up To You (Bjork)
125—Today (Smashing Pumpkins)
124—Breathe In (Frou Frou)
123—Nothing Left To Lose (Mat Kearney)
122—Running Out Of Reasons (Magne f)
121—You And Me (Club 8)
120—Bruised (Lasse Lindh)
119—Blue (Monaco)
118—You Don’t Have To Change (Magne f)
117—Winter (Tori Amos)
116—Prelude From Unaccompanied Cello Suite No, 1 in G Major (J.S. Bach)
115—Put ‘Em High (Stonebridge featuring Therese)
114—Boyfriends Stay (Club 8)
113—I Melt With You (Modern English)
112—Sudden Rush (Erlend Øye)
111—Back To The Old House (The Smiths)
110—Rock Me Gently (Erasure)
109—Am I Wry? No (Mew)
108—I Wanna Be Adored (The Stone Roses)
107—Move For Me (Kaskade)
106—The Boxer (The Chemical Brothers, feat Tim Burgess)
105—Say Yes If You Love Me (Acid House Kings)
104—Lips Like Sugar (Echo & The Bunnymen)
103—Summer’s Evening, Op. 71, No, 2 (Edvard Grieg)
102—Dani California (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
101—Moss (Gusgus)
100—Pagan Poetry (Bjork)
99—1979 (Smashing Pumpkins)
98—Ten Miles Back (The Crystal Method)
97—The Dead Heart (Midnight Oil)
96—Saeglópur (Sigur Rós)
95—Soul Meets Body (Death Cab For Cutie)
94—Comfortable (Fleming & John)
93—Walk On (U2)
92—Släpp In Solen (Ingenting)
91—Waiting For The Siren’s Call (New Order)
90—Running Up That Hill (Kate Bush)
89—Ready Steady Go (Paul Oakenfold)
88—The Rebels (The Cranberries)
87—Fast Cars (U2)
86—We’re Simple Minds (Club 8)
85—Better Together (Jack Johnson)
84—C’mon Through (Lasse Lindh)
83—River (Natalie Merchant)
82—Heaven (Club 8)
81—Burning (The Whitest Boy Alive)
80—London School Of Economics (Acid House Kings)
79—Brothers On A Hotel Bed (Death Cab For Cutie)
78—You Make Me Feel (Gus Gus)
77—Liz On Top Of The World (Jean-Yves Thibaudet)
76—Solitude On The Mountain (Ole Bull)
75—Someone Else (The Radio Dept.)
74—Gold In The Air Of Summer (Kings of Convenience)
73—Crystal (New Order)
72—Take On Me (a-ha)
71—Young Folks (Peter, Bjorn, & John)
70—The Black Keys Work (Erlend Øye)
69—Bizarre Love Triangle (New Order)
68—A Long Term Plan (Acid House Kings)
67—Here To Stay (New Order)
66—She Lives By The Water (Club 8)
65—Monochrome (The Sundays)
64—The Employment Pages (Death Cab For Cutie)
63—With Or Without You (U2)
62—Blood On My Hands (The Sundays)
61—Failure (Kings of Convenience)
60—Holy Ground (a-ha)
59—Run Wild (New Order)
58—Ask (The Smiths)
57—The Summers Of Our Youth (a-ha)
56—Young Bride (Midlake)
55—Yankee Bayonet (The Decemberists)
54—A Place In My Heart (Club 8)
53—I’d Rather Dance With You (Kings of Convenience)
52—Did Anyone Approach You? (a-ha)
51—Pulling Our Weight (The Radio Dept.)
50—Vivid (Electronic)
49—The Secret Life of Daydreams (Jean-Yves Thibaudet)
48—Norwegian March, Op. 54, No. 2 (Edvard Grieg)
47—All Through The Night (The Mormon Tabernacle Choir)
46—Whatever You Want (Club 8)
45—The Saturday Train (Acid House Kings)
44—Where The Streets Have No Name (U2)
43—Parallel Lines (Kings of Convenience)
42—You’ll Never Get Over Me (a-ha)
41—Heartstopper (Emilliana Torrini)
40—Vicious Streak (New Order)
39—The Mariner’s Revenge Song (The Decemberists)
38—A Bad Dream (Keane)
37—Crosses (Jose Gonzalez)
36—Whalebone (Savoy)
35—Shh (Frou Frou)
34—What Else Is There? (Röyksopp)
33—Californication (The Red Hot Chili Peppers)
32—Last Goodbye (Jeff Buckley)
31—Galapagos (Smashing Pumpkins)
30—Figures (The Whitest Boy Alive)
29—Heartbeats (Jose Gonzalez)
28—Reflected (Ronderlin)
27—There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (The Smiths)
26—Mushaboom (Feist)
25—Nothing Here To Hold You (Magne f)
24—Seasick, Yet Still Docked (Morrissey)
23—Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division)
22—Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect (The Decemberists)
21—I Feel My Savior’s Love (The Mormon Tabernacle Choir)
20—Sunday Morning (Acid House Kings)
19—Folk Song (The Sundays)
18—Running To Stand Still (U2)
17—Where Damage Isn’t Already Done (The Radio Dept.)
16—Your Heart Is An Empty Room (Death Cab For Cutie)
15—Here’s Where The Story Ends (The Sundays)
14—Misread (Kings of Convenience)
13—Krafty (New Order)
12—Summer Moved On (a-ha)
11—Summer On The Westhill (Kings of Convenience)
10—Gone (The Sundays)
9—Marching Bands Of Manhattan (Death Cab For Cutie)
8—I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For (U2)
7—Jesus, Walk With Me (Club 8)
6—I Don’t Like It Like This (The Radio Dept.)
5—That’s Because You Drive Me (Acid House Kings)
4—Regret (New Order)
3—I Don’t Know What I Can Save You From (Kings of Convenience)
2—Analogue (a-ha)
1—Temptation (New Order)
Thursday, February 5, 2009
America's Political Change: A New Party in Power--The Same Corruption and Stupidity
Politicians are an interesting breed. They have buried deep in the recesses of their own psyche a self delusion that allows them to magically forget that they have been elected to serve the people of the United States of America. Rather, they feel that by being elected, the American people have allowed them to look to personal interests and force the American people to serve the politicians' own desires. One would think that politicians would learn from the failures of previously elected officials, but no, in their narcissism, they believe that they are immune where others failed.
Take the current political situation in America. We are in a financial crisis. The American people have made sweeping changes to the electorate, offering the Democratic party an opportunity to control the branches of government. The American people are thinking that the Republicans had an opportunity to live up to their promises and failed, so lets give the Democrats a try. The problem, instead of learning from the failures of the Republicans, the Democrats are making extremely poor decisions.
Two key examples are the Obama Administration's desire to offer cabinet level positions to political allies that have broken laws for which average Americans would be brought to trial, and the Democratic Congress and Senate's push for an outrageous "Stimulus" bill. In the first case, Obama has attempted to defend his political friends, to whom he has offered cabinet positions, stating that what they have done (tax evasion) is no big deal, yet he expects the average American to be "patriotic" by paying higher taxes in order to meet the needs of government. Of course, once he learned that the American people saw right through his hypocrisy he began to speak of his moral decision to have his friends withdraw their nominations from the process. This is the exact corruption that the American people were hoping Obama would transcend--it has proven to be quite disappointing for those who shared the "audacity of hope" that Obama frequently championed on the campaign trail. Further corruption by the Democrats is evidenced by their push to pass a Stimulus Bill for the American people. The speak of it as if it must be passed now or the whole country will crumble economically and we will never recover (a true apocalypse that far surpasses the Great Depression) and that they are doing it for the good of the American people and their economy. Unfortunately for these Democrats, the majority of Americans see through their smoke and mirrors, recognizing that they are using the term "Stimulus" as a cover for "Spending Bill." Instead of truly being concerned with what will benefit the American people, the Bill focuses on Democratic special interests--things that will not benefit the economy or the average American but will benefit those who voted for the Democratic party. It is exactly this type of political stupidity that has turned the American people against the Republicans and now that we have elected the Democrats in the hopes to overcome this stupidity, they are doing the same thing, only spending far more than the Republicans ever proposed.
This is sad really. All Americans should be outraged by this phony "Stimulus" Bill. I think that it is high time we elect new blood in both the Republican and Democratic Parties--fresh faces with fresh ideas from among the ranks of average American citizens rather than this life-long politicians who give us smiles and kisses to our faces and offer us the finger behind our backs. Remember this over the course of the next few election cycles. We need to take back our government or create a new party that will do the bidding and the interest of the American people, not the bidding of politicians which will injure our nation.
Take the current political situation in America. We are in a financial crisis. The American people have made sweeping changes to the electorate, offering the Democratic party an opportunity to control the branches of government. The American people are thinking that the Republicans had an opportunity to live up to their promises and failed, so lets give the Democrats a try. The problem, instead of learning from the failures of the Republicans, the Democrats are making extremely poor decisions.
Two key examples are the Obama Administration's desire to offer cabinet level positions to political allies that have broken laws for which average Americans would be brought to trial, and the Democratic Congress and Senate's push for an outrageous "Stimulus" bill. In the first case, Obama has attempted to defend his political friends, to whom he has offered cabinet positions, stating that what they have done (tax evasion) is no big deal, yet he expects the average American to be "patriotic" by paying higher taxes in order to meet the needs of government. Of course, once he learned that the American people saw right through his hypocrisy he began to speak of his moral decision to have his friends withdraw their nominations from the process. This is the exact corruption that the American people were hoping Obama would transcend--it has proven to be quite disappointing for those who shared the "audacity of hope" that Obama frequently championed on the campaign trail. Further corruption by the Democrats is evidenced by their push to pass a Stimulus Bill for the American people. The speak of it as if it must be passed now or the whole country will crumble economically and we will never recover (a true apocalypse that far surpasses the Great Depression) and that they are doing it for the good of the American people and their economy. Unfortunately for these Democrats, the majority of Americans see through their smoke and mirrors, recognizing that they are using the term "Stimulus" as a cover for "Spending Bill." Instead of truly being concerned with what will benefit the American people, the Bill focuses on Democratic special interests--things that will not benefit the economy or the average American but will benefit those who voted for the Democratic party. It is exactly this type of political stupidity that has turned the American people against the Republicans and now that we have elected the Democrats in the hopes to overcome this stupidity, they are doing the same thing, only spending far more than the Republicans ever proposed.
This is sad really. All Americans should be outraged by this phony "Stimulus" Bill. I think that it is high time we elect new blood in both the Republican and Democratic Parties--fresh faces with fresh ideas from among the ranks of average American citizens rather than this life-long politicians who give us smiles and kisses to our faces and offer us the finger behind our backs. Remember this over the course of the next few election cycles. We need to take back our government or create a new party that will do the bidding and the interest of the American people, not the bidding of politicians which will injure our nation.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
The Sometime Idiocy of the American People
Let me preface my remarks by stating that I love America, and I love the American people. . . most of the time. The sad reality is that Americans can sometimes be complete and utter idiots (as I suppose any nation's people may be). I do not wish to be pessimistic, but I honestly do not believe that one should confuse observation with pessimism. The following is simply an observation of a segment of the American psyche. It by no means reflects people as a whole (I know, generalizations are bad), nor does it reflect a sustained attitude or action of a people. People can change and they do. Needless to say, here are some of my most dissappointing observations:
1. I am amazed that there is a large portion of American society that feels that government has an obligation to them beyond providing the basic necessities of a civilization. While it is true that government should have to answer to the people, some of the people are oblivious to the fact that government is the people. I am surprised and shocked by so many Americans who feel that it is the government's obligation to provide for them. There are so many people that feel that government should pay for education, should pay for abortions, or for out-of -wedlock children, or. . . the list goes on and on. There are so many people that abuse the system by taking government grants for selfish and personal reasons, that abuse welfare, and take advantage of "the system" in so many different facets. And what do Americans say to this fleecing of American money? "It isn't hurting anybody--I'm just taking money from the government." Hello people! Who do you think the government is and from where do you think the government gets its money? The people are the government and it is the taxation of you and me that pays for all of this frivolous spending. And yet Americans don't see it that way. The government is simply a rich entity that owes us. Sad and idiotic.
2. It is almost laughable at how many Americans honestly believe that terrorists are upset with America because of our hard-line stance against terrorism since 9/11. The reality is that terrorism and anti-American sentiment has been running high in the Middle East for decades. While our public policy may have somewhat to do with the disdain of Islamic extremists, it is more so our culture as portrayed through the media. What does the Islamic world see in America? Most have never been to America so what they see is what the media presents to them. And what do we present in American media? Hmmm, lets see. . . reality television which portrays Americans as ignorant, selfish, immoral beings who are constantly fighting with one another. American news which portrays our last President as an imbecile and tyrant and covers extensively stories of murder, rape, theft, lawlessness, extremist protesters, and etc. Television and movie drama, comedy and action which portrays Americans as disrespectful, horny, ultra-sexualized, unfaithful, perverse, corrupt, war-mongering people that are secularized to the point of seemingly having no moral value. Is this the real America in which I live? Well, some aspects of it, yes, but overwhelmingly no. But this is how we portray ourselves in the media and sometimes through our actual actions. No wonder people in the Muslim world fear democracy. Think about it. In their eyes, democracy leads to corruption, sexual perversion, immorality, lack of faith, and the list continues on and on. . . all things that are opposed to Islamic teaching. In essence, we are telling the Muslim world, "Hey, be like us great Americans where we disrespect our women, seemingly have no value on family, no concept of honor, and are a bunch of self-satisfying amoral individuals who believe that whatever makes us feel good is right. Isn't that what the Muslim world wants?" It is ridiculous! And what is even more funny (in a dark-humor sort of way) is all of these Hollywood actors who pontificate on how President Bush has destroyed America's image in the Middle East. Really Hollywood actors and screen writers. . . really? I dare say that this is the definition of verbal irony. I honestly believe that Hollywood has done more damage both to the real and perceived America than any other institution or individual. But Americans don't see it.
3. It is interesting to me how Americans tend to project their own characteristics upon the general populace. The stereotype in America is that Conservatives are greedy people who are only concerned with their own economic empowerment and that Liberals and great philanthropists that have a selfless concern for others. The reality is quite different. Recent studies have shown that conservatives contribute 30% more of their income to charity as compared to Liberals. While conservatives feel that it is not governments responsibility to provide for the welfare of others, they take upon themselves the personal responsibility of taking care of others. Liberals on the other hand feel that it is the responsibility of government to take care of others. They believe in raising taxes because they think that most people are like themselves--greedy and unwilling to part with their substance to benefit another. of course, this is a gross generalization. There are plenty of Liberals who do give of their personal means for charitable causes and there are plenty of Conservatives who are money-grubbing individuals. I just think that it is interesting how the actual figures turn the tables on what Americans generally think.
4. The current economic meltdown stemming from the housing market is a great example of the sometime idiocy of the American people. We have idiots in all segments of American society. We have the idiot businessmen who have been conducting shady business (as if they thought it would never catch up to them). We have the idiot bankers who have made loans to people knowing full well that they couldn't afford the loans. We have government encouraging the banks to make such bad loans. And we have the idiot citizen who thought it wise to get into debt far beyond their means, taking out loans they knew they could not afford to pay. What is even more surprising--the concept that some people feel that it is now government's responsibility to bail out the businessmen, the banks, and the homeowners who made these bad deals. And who pays for it? The rest of America. . . people like you and me who have been playing by the rules, having sucked up the responsibility of the day to day struggle, living in apartments or a meagre home which we can actually afford in the hopes to one day save enough money to buy a house. So America wants to save the home of the idiot and screw over the people who are trying to make an honest and intelligent living (I say let the houses default--it makes housing more affordable for all of us who are paying the taxes and struggling to save for such a home).
5. Americans tend to pride themselves on being open-minded and respectful. Concerning politics, we often call upon the need for civility and bipartisanship. Yet, when it comes to action we more often than not prove that talk is cheap. What we often mean is that we are open-minded with like-minded people, respectful of those who share our ideologies, and believe in civility and bipartisanship when it is the other political party that is bending to our positions. It is sad, really. If we look at the example of politics, we witness this hypocrisy quite readily: The very individuals who demonized President Bush and spoke out against the President himself (not the individual policies but the President himself, mind you) are now calling on all of America to support President Obama, regardless of one's difference concerning policy; and those who supported President Bush and called people out for their lack of patriotism for reviling the President are now in turn reviling President Obama. Obviously it is the hard-core political left and right of whom I speak. It is rather pathetic and says much about the virtues of moderates.
6. Americans do not like to be told what or how to think or do things. We embrace the concept of our individuality and tend to pride ourselves on making our own way in the world. We often ridicule people of other nations who are duped through the use of propaganda which is fed to the people by their governments. Americans would not be so foolish as to buy into propaganda peddled by its government. . . O, no, Americans would much rather be duped by the propaganda peddled by the media, movie-stars, and the educational elites who blind themselves by their own ideologies. This is evidenced by the ailing support of the American people for the war on terror and particularly for the war in Iraq. Immediately following the terrorist attacks on September 11th, the American people were outraged and called for action. It was not long before an offensive was launched in Afghanistan and shortly thereafter Iraq. While the support for the war was overwhelming by the American people, certain politicians began a ploy to counter the President by making statements that America was acting unilaterally. The media, Hollywood, and the educational elite picked up on this concept and started trumpeting it both to the American people and the world at large. Through these means an image was created of America, and particularly President Bush, being a renagade cowboy, doing things on our own. The propaganda that was spread was that if the United Nations did not sanction war, then the United States must be acting alone. Nevermind that Nations such as Norway dropped bombs for the first time since World War II, targeting sites in Afghanistan. Nevermind that Nations such as Latvia, Albania, Serbia, and Singapore joined the coalition (I guess America thinks that if a nation doesn't have a comparable population that they don't count as a nation). Nevermind that nations such as the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia joined the coalition (I suppose that America doesn't think they count because they are Muslim nations). Nevermind that soldiers from such nations as Australia, Poland, and The United Kingdom were sent home from Iraq in body bags (I suppose that casualties only count if they are American). The reality is that we did not go alone and that President Bush established a coalition consisting of diverse nations, but because of propaganda, the American people were duped into thinking that America is going it alone and that President Bush is some sort of tyranical dictator that is trying to overthrow the world. The following is a list of countries that were actually a part of the coalition:
COUNTRIES INVOLVED IN THE COALITION IN AFGHANISTAN:
United States
United Kingdom
Germany
France
Canada
Italy
Netherlands
Turkey
Poland
Australia
Spain
Denmark
Romania
Sweden
Bulgaria
Belgium
Norway
Czech Republic
Estonia
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Portugal
Slovakia
Slovenia
Albania
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Croatia
Finland
Georgia
Republic of Macedonia
Ireland
Serbia
Ukraine
Jordan
Mongolia
New Zealand
United Arab Emirates
Singapore
Switzerland
South Korea
COUNTRIES INVOLVED IN THE COALITION IN IRAQ:
United States
United Kingdom
Australia
Spain
Poland
Denmark
(POST INVASION)
Romania
El Salvador
Estonia
Bulgaria
Moldova
Albania
Ukraine
Czech Republic
South Korea
Japan
Tonga
Azerbaijan
Singapore
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Macedonia
Latvia
Kazakhstan
Armenia
Mongolia
Georgia
Slovakia
Lithuania
Italy
Norway
Hungary
Netherlands
Portugal
New Zealand
Thailand
Phillipines
Honduras
Dominican Republic
Nicaragua
Iceland
*p.s. There is so much more that I had ought to write, but I figure that there are only a select few who will actually read this far, so what is the point of continuing to write when most everyone has already tuned out.
1. I am amazed that there is a large portion of American society that feels that government has an obligation to them beyond providing the basic necessities of a civilization. While it is true that government should have to answer to the people, some of the people are oblivious to the fact that government is the people. I am surprised and shocked by so many Americans who feel that it is the government's obligation to provide for them. There are so many people that feel that government should pay for education, should pay for abortions, or for out-of -wedlock children, or. . . the list goes on and on. There are so many people that abuse the system by taking government grants for selfish and personal reasons, that abuse welfare, and take advantage of "the system" in so many different facets. And what do Americans say to this fleecing of American money? "It isn't hurting anybody--I'm just taking money from the government." Hello people! Who do you think the government is and from where do you think the government gets its money? The people are the government and it is the taxation of you and me that pays for all of this frivolous spending. And yet Americans don't see it that way. The government is simply a rich entity that owes us. Sad and idiotic.
2. It is almost laughable at how many Americans honestly believe that terrorists are upset with America because of our hard-line stance against terrorism since 9/11. The reality is that terrorism and anti-American sentiment has been running high in the Middle East for decades. While our public policy may have somewhat to do with the disdain of Islamic extremists, it is more so our culture as portrayed through the media. What does the Islamic world see in America? Most have never been to America so what they see is what the media presents to them. And what do we present in American media? Hmmm, lets see. . . reality television which portrays Americans as ignorant, selfish, immoral beings who are constantly fighting with one another. American news which portrays our last President as an imbecile and tyrant and covers extensively stories of murder, rape, theft, lawlessness, extremist protesters, and etc. Television and movie drama, comedy and action which portrays Americans as disrespectful, horny, ultra-sexualized, unfaithful, perverse, corrupt, war-mongering people that are secularized to the point of seemingly having no moral value. Is this the real America in which I live? Well, some aspects of it, yes, but overwhelmingly no. But this is how we portray ourselves in the media and sometimes through our actual actions. No wonder people in the Muslim world fear democracy. Think about it. In their eyes, democracy leads to corruption, sexual perversion, immorality, lack of faith, and the list continues on and on. . . all things that are opposed to Islamic teaching. In essence, we are telling the Muslim world, "Hey, be like us great Americans where we disrespect our women, seemingly have no value on family, no concept of honor, and are a bunch of self-satisfying amoral individuals who believe that whatever makes us feel good is right. Isn't that what the Muslim world wants?" It is ridiculous! And what is even more funny (in a dark-humor sort of way) is all of these Hollywood actors who pontificate on how President Bush has destroyed America's image in the Middle East. Really Hollywood actors and screen writers. . . really? I dare say that this is the definition of verbal irony. I honestly believe that Hollywood has done more damage both to the real and perceived America than any other institution or individual. But Americans don't see it.
3. It is interesting to me how Americans tend to project their own characteristics upon the general populace. The stereotype in America is that Conservatives are greedy people who are only concerned with their own economic empowerment and that Liberals and great philanthropists that have a selfless concern for others. The reality is quite different. Recent studies have shown that conservatives contribute 30% more of their income to charity as compared to Liberals. While conservatives feel that it is not governments responsibility to provide for the welfare of others, they take upon themselves the personal responsibility of taking care of others. Liberals on the other hand feel that it is the responsibility of government to take care of others. They believe in raising taxes because they think that most people are like themselves--greedy and unwilling to part with their substance to benefit another. of course, this is a gross generalization. There are plenty of Liberals who do give of their personal means for charitable causes and there are plenty of Conservatives who are money-grubbing individuals. I just think that it is interesting how the actual figures turn the tables on what Americans generally think.
4. The current economic meltdown stemming from the housing market is a great example of the sometime idiocy of the American people. We have idiots in all segments of American society. We have the idiot businessmen who have been conducting shady business (as if they thought it would never catch up to them). We have the idiot bankers who have made loans to people knowing full well that they couldn't afford the loans. We have government encouraging the banks to make such bad loans. And we have the idiot citizen who thought it wise to get into debt far beyond their means, taking out loans they knew they could not afford to pay. What is even more surprising--the concept that some people feel that it is now government's responsibility to bail out the businessmen, the banks, and the homeowners who made these bad deals. And who pays for it? The rest of America. . . people like you and me who have been playing by the rules, having sucked up the responsibility of the day to day struggle, living in apartments or a meagre home which we can actually afford in the hopes to one day save enough money to buy a house. So America wants to save the home of the idiot and screw over the people who are trying to make an honest and intelligent living (I say let the houses default--it makes housing more affordable for all of us who are paying the taxes and struggling to save for such a home).
5. Americans tend to pride themselves on being open-minded and respectful. Concerning politics, we often call upon the need for civility and bipartisanship. Yet, when it comes to action we more often than not prove that talk is cheap. What we often mean is that we are open-minded with like-minded people, respectful of those who share our ideologies, and believe in civility and bipartisanship when it is the other political party that is bending to our positions. It is sad, really. If we look at the example of politics, we witness this hypocrisy quite readily: The very individuals who demonized President Bush and spoke out against the President himself (not the individual policies but the President himself, mind you) are now calling on all of America to support President Obama, regardless of one's difference concerning policy; and those who supported President Bush and called people out for their lack of patriotism for reviling the President are now in turn reviling President Obama. Obviously it is the hard-core political left and right of whom I speak. It is rather pathetic and says much about the virtues of moderates.
6. Americans do not like to be told what or how to think or do things. We embrace the concept of our individuality and tend to pride ourselves on making our own way in the world. We often ridicule people of other nations who are duped through the use of propaganda which is fed to the people by their governments. Americans would not be so foolish as to buy into propaganda peddled by its government. . . O, no, Americans would much rather be duped by the propaganda peddled by the media, movie-stars, and the educational elites who blind themselves by their own ideologies. This is evidenced by the ailing support of the American people for the war on terror and particularly for the war in Iraq. Immediately following the terrorist attacks on September 11th, the American people were outraged and called for action. It was not long before an offensive was launched in Afghanistan and shortly thereafter Iraq. While the support for the war was overwhelming by the American people, certain politicians began a ploy to counter the President by making statements that America was acting unilaterally. The media, Hollywood, and the educational elite picked up on this concept and started trumpeting it both to the American people and the world at large. Through these means an image was created of America, and particularly President Bush, being a renagade cowboy, doing things on our own. The propaganda that was spread was that if the United Nations did not sanction war, then the United States must be acting alone. Nevermind that Nations such as Norway dropped bombs for the first time since World War II, targeting sites in Afghanistan. Nevermind that Nations such as Latvia, Albania, Serbia, and Singapore joined the coalition (I guess America thinks that if a nation doesn't have a comparable population that they don't count as a nation). Nevermind that nations such as the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia joined the coalition (I suppose that America doesn't think they count because they are Muslim nations). Nevermind that soldiers from such nations as Australia, Poland, and The United Kingdom were sent home from Iraq in body bags (I suppose that casualties only count if they are American). The reality is that we did not go alone and that President Bush established a coalition consisting of diverse nations, but because of propaganda, the American people were duped into thinking that America is going it alone and that President Bush is some sort of tyranical dictator that is trying to overthrow the world. The following is a list of countries that were actually a part of the coalition:
COUNTRIES INVOLVED IN THE COALITION IN AFGHANISTAN:
United States
United Kingdom
Germany
France
Canada
Italy
Netherlands
Turkey
Poland
Australia
Spain
Denmark
Romania
Sweden
Bulgaria
Belgium
Norway
Czech Republic
Estonia
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Portugal
Slovakia
Slovenia
Albania
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Croatia
Finland
Georgia
Republic of Macedonia
Ireland
Serbia
Ukraine
Jordan
Mongolia
New Zealand
United Arab Emirates
Singapore
Switzerland
South Korea
COUNTRIES INVOLVED IN THE COALITION IN IRAQ:
United States
United Kingdom
Australia
Spain
Poland
Denmark
(POST INVASION)
Romania
El Salvador
Estonia
Bulgaria
Moldova
Albania
Ukraine
Czech Republic
South Korea
Japan
Tonga
Azerbaijan
Singapore
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Macedonia
Latvia
Kazakhstan
Armenia
Mongolia
Georgia
Slovakia
Lithuania
Italy
Norway
Hungary
Netherlands
Portugal
New Zealand
Thailand
Phillipines
Honduras
Dominican Republic
Nicaragua
Iceland
*p.s. There is so much more that I had ought to write, but I figure that there are only a select few who will actually read this far, so what is the point of continuing to write when most everyone has already tuned out.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The Changing of the Guard
Today an historical event truly took place in the inauguration of President Barack Obama. As we have the changing of our Commander-in-Chief, I would like to take a brief moment to reflect on the Presidency of George W. Bush and to look forward to the future of America with our current President, Barack Obama.
Reflections on George W. Bush:
While I recognize that there are many Americans who are not happy with George W. Bush, I honestly believe that he has done more good than what most Americans give him credit for. Sometimes the stupidity of the American populace astounds me, but I shall save my thoughts on that bleak phenomenon for my next post. As for President George W. Bush, I would like to list what I thought that he had done well and where he had some weaknesses.
The Positives of President George W. Bush:
1. His handling of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center. In response to this tragedy, the President acted in the only way that we as the people of America would have him act. His condemnation of terrorism and his pursuits to combat this modern form of tyranny has been superb. Regardless of whether you like Bush or not, we have not seen another attack on American soil or American institutions throughout the world. That is certainly saying something.
2. Going to war with Iraq. I know that this is extremely unpopular these days, but the fact of the matter is that our invasion of Iraq was in good faith and was not unilateral as many opponents of President Bush made it appear (it was obviously a political stunt by Democrats to seize power and it has worked). At the time of the invasion of Iraq over 85% of the American public was in support of the war. Saddam Hussein was not complying with some 16 UN resolutions, thumbing his nose at the world body. Had we not followed through with our words, the credibility of the UN would have been tattered. This is a fact (what is the point in presenting resolutions if there are not consequences to breaking them?). This is the real reason we invaded Iraq and everyone is so caught up on the concept of Weapons of Mass Destruction that we forget this fact. Furthermore, we have removed one of the most brutal dictators in the world's history. We certainly could not risk such a man obtaining Weapons of Mass Destruction and so long as he would not allow inspectors to inspect how could we really know? Some ask, "Why did we invade Iraq over WMD and not North Korea or Iran who we know are developing WMD?" Well, the key difference, North Korea and Iran have never invaded a foreign country. Iraq on the other hand has shown past aggression.
3. Going to war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. This has certainly crippled the training and carrying out of terrorism in the West by causing the struggle to take place on the terrorists' home soil rather than in foreign countries. It has also offered the hope of democracy in this war-torn country.
4. Being Commander-in-Chief. The primary duty of the President is to lead the military. He has supported our troops who have done a hell of a job in defense of our great nation.
5. Foreign aid has been increased under President Bush's administration. There has never been as much support to help the struggling nations and people of Africa as has come from the Bush administration, but too many people look past this humanitarian response because of a blind hatred of the former President.
The Negatives of George W. Bush:
1. President Bush allowed congress to spend, spend, spend, wherein even the republicans were acting like democrats. The result: serious debt.
2. Failure to control the border with illegal immigration and the idea of granted amnesty to people who have knowingly and willingly broken our laws. What was going through his mind to allow people citizenship who have come illegally while snubbing the thousands who have been attempting to become citizens through the proper channels.
3. Failure to effectively communicate with the American people. Allowing the media and political enemies to define him was detrimental to his Presidency. By allowing such political enemies to define him as incompetent, ruthless, and heartless, the American people turned on him and essentially nullified what positive things he had done.
As for President Barack Obama, whether you like him or not, he is our President and as such he deserves our support for all just causes and our prayers for his successful governance with the interests of the people of America at heart. I should like to take a look at what I like about Obama and point out a few concerns.
The Positives of Barack Obama:
1. Obama is a great orator. We have seen time and time again that Obama has the gift of rhetoric and can communicate effectively. This ability will serve Obama well as he addresses the American people and as he interacts with foreign dignitaries and media, allowing him to give a positive spin to all events and policies. This will help both his own image and the image of America.
2. I have been impressed with Obama's move toward the political center since he has won the election. This is both wise for Obama and for the future of America. What we do not need is political ideologues from either of the political extremes influencing policy for the American people.
3. Obama has a message of hope that resounds with many people. Sometimes the illusion of hope can do more for a people than the policies that will actually help them. It is a powerful use of the psyche for a people to believe in a great hope even when the reality is limited, more so than to have little or no hope when the reality is that it is abundant. Hopefully there will be both a belief in hope along with an abundance of its reality--for such, we should all be hoping and praying.
4. Keeping on his staff many from the Department of Defense during the transition period is extremely wise. Kudos to Obama for putting the welfare and safety of America over partisan politics.
The Negatives of Barack Obama:
1. His support of Abortion (particularly late-term and partial birth abortion). With all the talk of hope and the value of life and the pursuit of happiness, I am dumbfounded that Obama and so many Americans justify the killing of life in the name of a woman's choice. I have no problem with abortion in the cases of rape, incest, or if a medical condition requires it, but to destroy life simply because someone made a mistake. . . it just seems like we are placing the blame and the consequence on the wrong people. . . in this case the innocent babies. What about the child's choice to life? We certainly live in a sick society when we value the "rights" of individuals who have the means to make choices over the "rights" of a child who has no ability to defend oneself or choice to combat the evil. As a nation we should always value what is in the best interest of children over what is in the best interest for an adult when the two conflict. One is innocent and defenseless, the other has made a choice and ought to be human enough to deal with the consequences rather than trying to bypass responsibility at the cost of human life.
2. The concept of redistribution of wealth. Raising taxes does not help an ailing economy, and taking people's hard-earned money to support a lazy and indolent people is simply wrong. I'm not saying that we should not be compassionate to others, nor that we should not have any social programs, but such programs should be designed at assisting individuals to be self-reliant, not reliant upon the state. Simply shifting money from upper class to lower class society does nothing to improve the morale of the lower class nor make their situation better. It borders on the ridiculous when people who follow the supposed "rules" of being a good citizen get hosed by the process. For example, how is it fair when a young woman chooses to be responsible, abstain from sexual relationships outside of wedlock, and work hard to pay for and obtain a good education to receive nothing from the government while a young woman who gets pregnant receives government money to pay for childcare and the young woman's education? Are we not rewarding those who are doing things that are detrimental to society while leaving those who are working to contribute to it high and dry. We actually punish such individuals by taxing them to pay for those who choose a lifestyle that is detrimental both to themselves and to society. I'm not saying that we shouldn't be compassionate, nor that we shouldn't help, but the primary responsibility should be with the individual, followed by the family, followed by the local community, and government should be the absolute last resort. Why should I pay for someone else's poor choices? Furthermore, I have plenty of students in my classes that have the ability to do well in school, but choose not to apply themselves. Should we really be taxing those who have devoted their time and means to improve themselves and society and redistribute that wealth to those who chose not to apply themselves and stand around expecting the government to provide? This is ludicrous!
3. Obama's subvert belief that government can do better than the private sector. As much as we may hope and wish and dream, government is not the solution to our problems. Unfortunately, government is often more a hinderance than a solution. Government can do much good, but it is the people that must act for themselves, not the government acting for the people. Look at any government run institution and we witness monuments of inefficiency. Why would we want to entrust the government with more responsibility and control in our lives? Government healthcare? No thanks. I have a hard enough time in the lines at the DMV.
And here is my audacity of hope: That Barack Obama will prove my concerns wrong. I sincerely hope that he will. I wish him the best in his service of the American people and will pray that he will govern in wisdom and righteousness. While I did not vote for him, he is my President and I will support him as such (not necessarily his policies, but I will certainly support him).
Reflections on George W. Bush:
While I recognize that there are many Americans who are not happy with George W. Bush, I honestly believe that he has done more good than what most Americans give him credit for. Sometimes the stupidity of the American populace astounds me, but I shall save my thoughts on that bleak phenomenon for my next post. As for President George W. Bush, I would like to list what I thought that he had done well and where he had some weaknesses.
The Positives of President George W. Bush:
1. His handling of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center. In response to this tragedy, the President acted in the only way that we as the people of America would have him act. His condemnation of terrorism and his pursuits to combat this modern form of tyranny has been superb. Regardless of whether you like Bush or not, we have not seen another attack on American soil or American institutions throughout the world. That is certainly saying something.
2. Going to war with Iraq. I know that this is extremely unpopular these days, but the fact of the matter is that our invasion of Iraq was in good faith and was not unilateral as many opponents of President Bush made it appear (it was obviously a political stunt by Democrats to seize power and it has worked). At the time of the invasion of Iraq over 85% of the American public was in support of the war. Saddam Hussein was not complying with some 16 UN resolutions, thumbing his nose at the world body. Had we not followed through with our words, the credibility of the UN would have been tattered. This is a fact (what is the point in presenting resolutions if there are not consequences to breaking them?). This is the real reason we invaded Iraq and everyone is so caught up on the concept of Weapons of Mass Destruction that we forget this fact. Furthermore, we have removed one of the most brutal dictators in the world's history. We certainly could not risk such a man obtaining Weapons of Mass Destruction and so long as he would not allow inspectors to inspect how could we really know? Some ask, "Why did we invade Iraq over WMD and not North Korea or Iran who we know are developing WMD?" Well, the key difference, North Korea and Iran have never invaded a foreign country. Iraq on the other hand has shown past aggression.
3. Going to war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. This has certainly crippled the training and carrying out of terrorism in the West by causing the struggle to take place on the terrorists' home soil rather than in foreign countries. It has also offered the hope of democracy in this war-torn country.
4. Being Commander-in-Chief. The primary duty of the President is to lead the military. He has supported our troops who have done a hell of a job in defense of our great nation.
5. Foreign aid has been increased under President Bush's administration. There has never been as much support to help the struggling nations and people of Africa as has come from the Bush administration, but too many people look past this humanitarian response because of a blind hatred of the former President.
The Negatives of George W. Bush:
1. President Bush allowed congress to spend, spend, spend, wherein even the republicans were acting like democrats. The result: serious debt.
2. Failure to control the border with illegal immigration and the idea of granted amnesty to people who have knowingly and willingly broken our laws. What was going through his mind to allow people citizenship who have come illegally while snubbing the thousands who have been attempting to become citizens through the proper channels.
3. Failure to effectively communicate with the American people. Allowing the media and political enemies to define him was detrimental to his Presidency. By allowing such political enemies to define him as incompetent, ruthless, and heartless, the American people turned on him and essentially nullified what positive things he had done.
As for President Barack Obama, whether you like him or not, he is our President and as such he deserves our support for all just causes and our prayers for his successful governance with the interests of the people of America at heart. I should like to take a look at what I like about Obama and point out a few concerns.
The Positives of Barack Obama:
1. Obama is a great orator. We have seen time and time again that Obama has the gift of rhetoric and can communicate effectively. This ability will serve Obama well as he addresses the American people and as he interacts with foreign dignitaries and media, allowing him to give a positive spin to all events and policies. This will help both his own image and the image of America.
2. I have been impressed with Obama's move toward the political center since he has won the election. This is both wise for Obama and for the future of America. What we do not need is political ideologues from either of the political extremes influencing policy for the American people.
3. Obama has a message of hope that resounds with many people. Sometimes the illusion of hope can do more for a people than the policies that will actually help them. It is a powerful use of the psyche for a people to believe in a great hope even when the reality is limited, more so than to have little or no hope when the reality is that it is abundant. Hopefully there will be both a belief in hope along with an abundance of its reality--for such, we should all be hoping and praying.
4. Keeping on his staff many from the Department of Defense during the transition period is extremely wise. Kudos to Obama for putting the welfare and safety of America over partisan politics.
The Negatives of Barack Obama:
1. His support of Abortion (particularly late-term and partial birth abortion). With all the talk of hope and the value of life and the pursuit of happiness, I am dumbfounded that Obama and so many Americans justify the killing of life in the name of a woman's choice. I have no problem with abortion in the cases of rape, incest, or if a medical condition requires it, but to destroy life simply because someone made a mistake. . . it just seems like we are placing the blame and the consequence on the wrong people. . . in this case the innocent babies. What about the child's choice to life? We certainly live in a sick society when we value the "rights" of individuals who have the means to make choices over the "rights" of a child who has no ability to defend oneself or choice to combat the evil. As a nation we should always value what is in the best interest of children over what is in the best interest for an adult when the two conflict. One is innocent and defenseless, the other has made a choice and ought to be human enough to deal with the consequences rather than trying to bypass responsibility at the cost of human life.
2. The concept of redistribution of wealth. Raising taxes does not help an ailing economy, and taking people's hard-earned money to support a lazy and indolent people is simply wrong. I'm not saying that we should not be compassionate to others, nor that we should not have any social programs, but such programs should be designed at assisting individuals to be self-reliant, not reliant upon the state. Simply shifting money from upper class to lower class society does nothing to improve the morale of the lower class nor make their situation better. It borders on the ridiculous when people who follow the supposed "rules" of being a good citizen get hosed by the process. For example, how is it fair when a young woman chooses to be responsible, abstain from sexual relationships outside of wedlock, and work hard to pay for and obtain a good education to receive nothing from the government while a young woman who gets pregnant receives government money to pay for childcare and the young woman's education? Are we not rewarding those who are doing things that are detrimental to society while leaving those who are working to contribute to it high and dry. We actually punish such individuals by taxing them to pay for those who choose a lifestyle that is detrimental both to themselves and to society. I'm not saying that we shouldn't be compassionate, nor that we shouldn't help, but the primary responsibility should be with the individual, followed by the family, followed by the local community, and government should be the absolute last resort. Why should I pay for someone else's poor choices? Furthermore, I have plenty of students in my classes that have the ability to do well in school, but choose not to apply themselves. Should we really be taxing those who have devoted their time and means to improve themselves and society and redistribute that wealth to those who chose not to apply themselves and stand around expecting the government to provide? This is ludicrous!
3. Obama's subvert belief that government can do better than the private sector. As much as we may hope and wish and dream, government is not the solution to our problems. Unfortunately, government is often more a hinderance than a solution. Government can do much good, but it is the people that must act for themselves, not the government acting for the people. Look at any government run institution and we witness monuments of inefficiency. Why would we want to entrust the government with more responsibility and control in our lives? Government healthcare? No thanks. I have a hard enough time in the lines at the DMV.
And here is my audacity of hope: That Barack Obama will prove my concerns wrong. I sincerely hope that he will. I wish him the best in his service of the American people and will pray that he will govern in wisdom and righteousness. While I did not vote for him, he is my President and I will support him as such (not necessarily his policies, but I will certainly support him).
Monday, January 19, 2009
Requesting A Little Feedback. . .
So, I am fast approaching my 100th post (4 more away) and have noticed on many of the blogs of my friends that they have done a special "Top 100" of something on their 100th post. I figure that I will do the same, but the question remains, what will be the subject of my "Top 100" list?
And this is where you come in. . .
I have already toyed with the idea and have come up with a few possible subjects for the list. I would like you to suggest any possible subjects or to vote upon the ones I have listed. I figure that I may as well give my readers what they want, so you will decide upon the subject of the list. Keep in mind, you may certainly vote for your own idea or any other ideas that people have posted in the comment box.
Thanks for your time and input on the matter.
My possible lists:
--My 100 favorite songs
--My 100 favorite bands
--My 100 top destinations for travel
--My 100 favorite quotes
--100 observations of life (or 100 things that I have learned in my life)
--My 100 most embarrassing or stupid moments
--My 100 favorite books, poems, and plays
--100 things I am most grateful for
--100 people I would like to meet
--My 100 favorite movies
--My 100 most fascinating or influential moments in life
--My 100 fondest memories
Please take a minute to either suggest a new category or vote on what has been presented (either from my list or others' suggestions)
*p.s. I am thinking it is time for a new hairstyle too. Any suggestions (keeping in mind, I have fine, straight hair)?
And this is where you come in. . .
I have already toyed with the idea and have come up with a few possible subjects for the list. I would like you to suggest any possible subjects or to vote upon the ones I have listed. I figure that I may as well give my readers what they want, so you will decide upon the subject of the list. Keep in mind, you may certainly vote for your own idea or any other ideas that people have posted in the comment box.
Thanks for your time and input on the matter.
My possible lists:
--My 100 favorite songs
--My 100 favorite bands
--My 100 top destinations for travel
--My 100 favorite quotes
--100 observations of life (or 100 things that I have learned in my life)
--My 100 most embarrassing or stupid moments
--My 100 favorite books, poems, and plays
--100 things I am most grateful for
--100 people I would like to meet
--My 100 favorite movies
--My 100 most fascinating or influential moments in life
--My 100 fondest memories
Please take a minute to either suggest a new category or vote on what has been presented (either from my list or others' suggestions)
*p.s. I am thinking it is time for a new hairstyle too. Any suggestions (keeping in mind, I have fine, straight hair)?
Monday, January 5, 2009
Greek and/or Hebrew Study Group
Back in May 2008 I posted a blog inquiring if anyone would like to get together and learn either Greek or Hebrew. The idea sprang from my desire to learn to read the Bible in its original written language (Hebrew-Old Testament; Greek-New Testament). Anyhow, I had purchased some materials some time ago, but am finally getting around to organizing something. Last May, Liz Wolfe, Liz Long, Heather Thomas, Rachel Knecht, and Emmy Lawson expressed an interest in getting together once a week to study. Hopefully each of you are still interested and available to do so. This is not exclusive, so if there is anybody else who is interested, please feel free to join us.
I've decided to meet on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. at my apartment. I figure a half an hour study session should suffice (considering we all have busy schedules). We will begin this Thursday (I may be the only one here since it is such short notice, but I will be studying regardless). Day and time is subject to change (if Thursdays are bad for everyone we will certainly switch it up).
The following is a list of resources that I have:
--Basics of Biblical Greek (Book)
--Teach Yourself to Read Hebrew (Book and CD Set)
--A Modern Grammar for Classical Hebrew (Book)
--The Interlinear Bible (Hebrew-English/Greek-English)
If anybody has any additional resources, suggestions, or questions, please let me know. I hope to see you at my place come Thursday evenings!
Brett
I've decided to meet on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. at my apartment. I figure a half an hour study session should suffice (considering we all have busy schedules). We will begin this Thursday (I may be the only one here since it is such short notice, but I will be studying regardless). Day and time is subject to change (if Thursdays are bad for everyone we will certainly switch it up).
The following is a list of resources that I have:
--Basics of Biblical Greek (Book)
--Teach Yourself to Read Hebrew (Book and CD Set)
--A Modern Grammar for Classical Hebrew (Book)
--The Interlinear Bible (Hebrew-English/Greek-English)
If anybody has any additional resources, suggestions, or questions, please let me know. I hope to see you at my place come Thursday evenings!
Brett
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