Homespun Bloggers

It's Been A While

2006-08-22T22:13:00.000-04:00

Well, you know where they say the good-intentions-paved road leads. As I mentioned before, life is too busy these days for me to maintain this blog. I emailed the group in hopes of finding a replacement. While I received a number of responses it seems that no one was interested in taking on the whole thing. If that's changed and someone is interested now please let me know. I'll check my email when I can and be in touch.

Tom

Okay...Gather Round...First Rank Take a Knee

2006-05-21T15:48:00.000-04:00

I stand here before you to admit that I've dropped the ball on the Homespun Symposium "Topic of the Week" and I'm sorry for it. Life got a little involved for us at the Major Household...and unfortunately I chose to let that part of my life go. Now that things have slowed down a bit, I have no reason not to dredge it back up if there's enough interest...

Soooo...without further ado, I'd like to offer up the following for your consideration:

How do you feel about the recent legislation about making English the official language of the United States of America? (Note: I understand it's not a done deal...)

Please feel free to email me at: majordad1984 - at - gmail - dot - com with your responses. I'd like to be able to have all links to your postings NLT close of business on Friday. Each week I'll post a new topic NLT Sunday evening.

See you on the high ground!

MajorDad1984

It's Quiet...

2006-05-17T13:09:00.000-04:00

...too quiet.

I just wanted to let everyone know that Homespun Bloggers has been on an extended hiatus and will resume presently.

The short story is that I, your humble servant, can no longer live but to serve. Life has gotten far too busy and will not slow down, well, ever.

So, whether you're a current member faithfully submitting Best Of posts or a blogger looking to join our ranks, please be patient and bear with us while we get back on our feet.

Thanks,
Tom

6 New Bloggers

2006-03-20T15:46:00.000-05:00

Musings of a Real Texas Cowgirl
Pursuing Holiness
Liberally Conservative
Reformed Chicks Blabbing
Life Under The Sun
Stingray: a blog for salty Christians

Best Of Homespun Bloggers March 19th, 2006

2006-03-20T08:08:00.000-05:00

Pererro

The Superficial is becoming crap

I used to like The Superficial because it not only gave me some common ground in our celebrity obsessed world (being a no TV and very few movies kinda guy) and because it was damn funny, i.e...

Stingray

Flying Cow Leaves Two Police Cars in Flames

A cow falls out of the back of a cattle trailer near Seguin, Texas. One officer is nearly hit by a speeding truck with 2 illegal immigrants inside. While looking for the illegals, several cops parked their cars on dry grass, which ignited and burned up the cars.

MuD&PHuD

Harold Hatley

Mr. Hatley was definitely a sheepdog:

According to police, a surveillance video showed Harold Hatley, 73, leaving his seat at the counter and getting in the line of fire, which enabled others to flee.

Stop The ACLU

The ACLU Vs. American Sovereignty

Currently the ACLU are appealing to the U.N. Human Rights Committee with their cries of how evil the United States Government is.

3 4 New Bloggers

2006-03-15T08:05:00.000-05:00

Surly's Soap Box
Rachel's Desk
Ace in the Hole
Blogs for McCain

Best Of Homespun Bloggers March 6th, 2006

2006-03-06T11:48:00.000-05:00

Collecting My Thoughts

2227 The daughter-in-law--taking applications

You've seen the reality show about the bachelor choosing a wife. Why couldn't there be a show called "The daughter-in-law?" I've thought of throwing a big party and inviting all the single women I know to meet my son--he'd be the only guy at the party (unfortunately, most are in their 50s and 60s, and one in her 80s). He has excellent manners and I'm sure would make them all feel special, but would probably not speak to me for awhile.

Once More Into the Breach

I'm Only Eating This Chocolate for Medicinal Purposes

Who says food that is good for you has to taste bad?

AbbaGav

Immigration or Conquest, Absorption or Surrender?

When a People immigrates to your country and demands you
accommodate their lifestyle and principles by abandoning your own, it's no
longer called immigration, it's called conquest. [...]

However, [the media] having caved once, no one should really be
surprised when next year there are whole new sets of protest placards printed
up making new and evermore reasonable claims of ownership on the
definition of more of the West's essential freedoms: [...]

MuD&PHuD

Mark Wilson

Take a moment from your busy Fat Tuesday to remember the brave men who put their lives on the line in trying to stop David Arroyo from killing his son and wife. While many law enforcement officers made a good account of themselves that day (in particular Smith County Sheriff's Deputy Sherman Dollison, although there were many others), one man stands out because he was a civilian who just happened to be a sheepdog who moved to the sound of the guns:

2 New Bloggers

2006-02-27T10:40:00.000-05:00

Photios
AbbaGav

Best Of Homespun Bloggers February 26th, 2006

2006-02-27T10:29:00.000-05:00

Little Bit Tired, Little Bit Worn

Islamic Terror Pays dividends In Germany

Germany, weather they know it or not, has become a victim of black-mail.

Much of Islam has managed to turn itself into a victim while at the same time perpetrating perpetual acts of violence all across the globe.

Successfully having become both the offended and the offender at the same time.

Conservative Cat

Laura Talks to Jim Glassman About the Ports

Today on Laura Ingraham's show she had a long discussion with Jim Glassman about this column in which he said some pretty nasty things about people who oppose the sale of six U.S. ports to Dubai of the United Arab Emirates. Despite Laura's initial anger, the conversation ended on a fairly friendly note.

MuD&PHuD

Support Denmark

Like I said, I think it's rather rude to insult one's religion. Over the past few weeks (or however long this crap has been going on) I've been telling myself that I have not posted the cartoons for this very reason. However, as I've given the issue more thought it has occurred to me that I may very well be using politeness as a weak excuse. The thing that really brought this to mind was seeing this shirt (which I mentioned previously). I went through the thought process of I-want-one --> No-that-would-be-rude-to-innocent-Muslims --> Am-I-really-just-afraid-to-wear-it? So, while I may not spend the $19 to buy the shirt I will post the cartoons here because I think the principle of free speech, in this specific case*, trumps that of minding my P's and Q's. As things stand, if you are Muslim and offended by what follows please feel free to let me know that you're angry. But please include a statement that indicates that while you disagree with what I say you would be will to defend to the death my right to say it (and remember that the 'West' is not the first to produce such images).

2 3 New Bloggers

2006-02-20T13:58:00.000-05:00

Thoughts of a Regular Guy
Conservative Cogitation…
Nothing Could Be Finer

Best Of Homespun Bloggers February 19th, 2006

2006-02-19T21:44:00.000-05:00

Ales Rarus

Making the Best of a Bad Situation

How should Christians interact with secular government? Before one can argue that an act is wrong, though, one must define wrong. You cannot define a right to perform a wrong action, or lack thereof, until there is agreement of what is wrong. Who defines right and wrong? Should laws only pertain to those rights and wrongs that are nearly universally agreed to or should a mere plurality or majority of the
electorate be allowed determine right and wrong for the remainder?

Little Bit Tired, Little Bit Worn

Weed Out Textbooks Offensive To Muslims

Does the Muslim find anything deserving of respect homosexuality? No, they view homosexuality much they way I as a Christian do. So supposing a Muslim cartoonist created a cartoon which homosexuals found offensive and disrespectful and some violent group of homosexuals rose up and began taking the lives of Muslims and destroying Muslim owned property, all the while demanding an apology, respect and tolerance.

Mover Mike

The Leftist Rogue Weasels of the CIA

There are those who will talk, accomodate, and appease and are not happy with the war on terrorism.

MuD&PHuD

Election Year Politics

The other day I had occasion to rip a bit of proposed legislation suggested by Gov. Rell concerning taxes. Now the powers that be have had a "summit" to address the issue of increasing violence in Connecticut, specifically gun violence. There were not a ton of details in the articles I found, but the general consensus appears to be that the black market has been "flooded" with guns, which is leading to violence (pay no attention to the violent criminals behind the curtain!).

2 3 4 5 New Bloggers

2006-02-13T14:27:00.000-05:00

FzxGkJssFrk Blogs Here
faithmouse
KISS
Life~Florida~Whatever
Ramblings of a GOP Soccer Mom

Best Of Homespun Bloggers February 12th, 2006

2006-02-12T13:39:00.000-05:00

Bill Karl

If Democrats wrote the reviews for Brokeback mountain

"Pack up the family for a joy ride they'll never forget!"

-- Nancy Pelosi

Considerettes

"Cutting Edge" Medicine

First it was clean needles so junkies could kill themselves in a sanitary manner. Now, there's a proposal that self-abusers be given clean razor blades with which to cut themselves.

Ales Rarus

Why Is Prostitution Illegal?

Did you ever stop to wonder why prostitution is illegal? I did. Aside from explicitly religious moral reasons, I can’t see why it is.

Pick your jaw off the floor. Got it? OK, then, I’ll continue.

When you get down to the nuts and bolts of it, what is a prostitute doing? She…I know men prostitute themselves, too, but definite pronouns are less confusing…She is selling the use of her body for a span of time. Why is that illegal? It’s her body. It’s not like there isn’t legal precedence for it.

Musing

Not a good use of resources

I am watching the Senate’s Energy Committee debate the ‘07 Budget on C-SPAN and Samuel Bodman (Energy Secretary) just came up with a classic line, describing the use of natural gas to generate energy.

Bodman noted that doing so is like, “washing your dishes with good scotch.” Definitely not a good use of resources.

We’re literally awash in coal and uranium in North America and we’re running short of natural gas (primarily because we are using it for electricity generation and we refuse to drill in places like ANWR and offshore in California) but we’re still permitting and building new gas generation facilities.

MuD&PHuD

BS Meter In The Red

This article starts out sounding absolutely great (if, like me, you happen to be a small government type):

Gov. M. Jodi Rell wants to eliminate municipal car taxes and cut the state's public utility taxes by 25 percent, two moves she says will save Connecticut residents millions of dollars a year.

I mean, jeeze. I only pay a few hundred dollars a year between car and utility taxes so I'm expecting a serious check.

ruah

My Name is Diana and I am an addict!

My son turned me on to it. Now I can't get through a day without it. I can't get anything done. Communication is breaking down with my friends and family members. I spend all day in my room and rarely come out.

The Farce Report

Kansas DNA Sampling Bill May Evolve into Something Bad

Here's a DNA sampling bill currently being processed in the State of Kansas; it's one flavor among many across the United States. Presently, five states have mandatory DNA swabbing procedures for arrested individuals, and each state has different actions in disposing of samples when charges are dropped (or in the event of an acquittal).

Libertarian Leanings

Cherry Picking

The Washington Post drags out yet another former government
official with an axe to grind.

Pererro

Real Citizen Journalship

So, decided for the hey of it to go get close to that brush fire, and post the pics. And, here they are, in reverse order because I messed up the upload.

2 New Bloggers

2006-02-06T12:52:00.000-05:00

Culture Wars Guerilla
Snark Infested Waters

Best Of Homespun Bloggers February 5th

2006-02-06T12:40:00.000-05:00

The (not so) Daily Me

Fact or Belief?

Nate Keller (a.k.a. theotherside or countrytech) is a graphics designer who describes himself as a high-tech redneck. He blogs at The Fine Coffee Aficionado. He is one of the leading members of MennoDiscuss. Some of his interests are graphics, computers, anything related to Cabela's, racing, Jeff Foxworthy, truck & tractor pulling, deep sea fishing, boating, and hosting LAN parties.

Collecting My Thoughts

2067 Young People in Debt

This morning I read a book review of Tamara Draut's "Strapped." Draut says that today's young adult children of the baby boomer generation can't get ahead financially because of astronomical student debts, depressed wages, rising health care costs and soaring property values. The solutions offered by some young adults are silly and counterproductive--"the government should do something."

The View from the Firehouse

How did Judas Die?

For some odd reason I’ve been thinking about the so called contradiction between Matthew’s telling of Judas’s death and Luke’s telling of it in Acts.

ruah

Our Current Culture: Give Us Rights Without Responsibilities

This morning on my way to work, I was listening to the Scott and Casey Show on KTRS. The subject was the case of aTarget pharmacist in St. Charles, MO who was fired not because she refused to fill prescriptions for Plan B, the "morning after pill", but because she refused to refer patients to someone else who could fill it.

Tidbits And Treasures

United, We Stand - Divided, We Fall

One of the most quoted Aesop fables, I suppose, is 'united we stand; divided we fall'. I've often heard 'a family that prays together stays together'. That sort of fits right in with united and divided.

Once More Into the Breach

Judge Cashman and the Restorative Justice Movement

Judge Cashman who originally gave a sentence of 60 days to a child rapist has been a participant in a new justice philosophy called Restorative Justice.

Grizzly Mama

Grizzly Report: National Rally Against Islamofascism Day

The Troll and I participated in the rally in Pennsylvania on February 1, 2006. The United American Committee (UAC) held a rally nationwide protesting Islamofascism. Well - of COURSE we had to be there. We don't like Islamofascism - not one tiny little bit!

Stop The ACLU

ACLU PROTECTING FUNERAL PROTESTERS

The Washington Post reported on Monday about five States that wanting to ban funeral protests.

2 6 8 10 New Bloggers

2006-01-23T08:44:00.000-05:00

Free Constitution
Jane's Jabberwocky
Public Figures...Beware
My Way
bigwhitehat
Freedom Watch
Under The News
The Land of Ozz
Relative Humidity
The TOMO Report

Best Of Homespun Bloggers January 22nd, 2006

2006-01-22T12:13:00.000-05:00

Bloggin' Outloud

Behind the Scenes at the Dog Show

You might well imagine the gossip, back-stabbing, and in-fighting that goes on behind the scenes at international beauty pageants. Who would have thought that dogs could be just as petty! Here's what our hidden cameras caught at the Japanese Dog Fashion Show held recently in Tokyo.

Musing

Choose your Canada

Do you want a country/government that tells its citizens to “get a life” and to just get used to some 28 distinct Charter of Rights violations? Do you want a country/government that tells its veterans that they should to “go to the U.S.“?

Cursed by a Classical Education

Fool Us Once...

If it isn't plain enough to those of you that question the administration's response, Al Qaeda and this band of Islamic-Fascist thugs cannot be bargained with. Note that Bin Laden offers a truce, not a surrender. Many things can be done under the "white flag" of a truce...including recruiting, planning and re-arming. While I'm sure our forces would welcome a "breather" too, they know all too well that this adversary cannot be trusted.

Tidbits And Treasures

Has America Erred?

While reading Living Under God by Toby Mac and Michael Tait today, which I am reviewing, I found something I did not know.

The Redhunter

The Pinkos Sound the Retreat!

Last Friday night outside the main entrance to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC, the anti-war leftists of Code Pink were forced into an ignominious retreat! They were obliged to abandon their protest corners and seek refuge a block away, where they licked their wounds. For at least one evening, the wounded troopers in the hospital, some of whom can see the entrance where all this takes place from
their windows, did not have to see the Pinkos who mock them with their fake vigils.

Eric's Grumbles Before The Grave

Elitists and a Society of Fear

This is yet another case of elites who believe they know what
is best for you and I. These folks are no different from the men who
ran the Soviet Union. They have, in fact, through their arrogance and
elitism, condemned hundreds of thousands, even millions, to death,
starvation and privation.

MuD&PHuD

Eminent Domain Outrage In CA

This is absolutely beyond the pale:

A year after Los Angeles seized three acres from a private company to construct a public building, a city councilman wants to sell the land to another private firm for a commercial development.

2 3 6 New Bloggers

2006-01-16T07:26:00.000-05:00

Random Thoughts Of Yet Another Military Member
1492
Eurabian News
Crazy Politico's Rantings
spunkyhomeschool
Blue Star Chronicles

Best Of Homespun Bloggers January 8th and 15th

2006-01-15T14:38:00.000-05:00

Once More Into the Breach

Malaysia, A Warning to the West

Malaysia has tried to placate the Islamists only to find themselves on the defensive against a effort to bring the whole country under the sway of fundamentalist Islam. Tiptoeing around the obvious has bought them only more trouble. It is a warning to Europe and North America to stop the post modern multiculturalist movement and take control of their societies.

Conservative Cat

Notes from Ferdy - An Important Political Message

I have here a very important Flash video. Though it's intended for liberals, I'm posting it here in a spirit of cooperation and bi-partisanship. The video does include a music track, which I'm told is one of Chuck Brown's free MP3s from HealingPiano.com.

Musing

Change is in the air

I have moved Musing to a new domain - www.jasonhayes.org.

The move was prompted by my desire to start using that domain and a desperate need to upgrade my blogging software. The spam comments were killing me.

Over the next few days, I will fix up the links and get things running smoothly again. Feel free to head over and check out the new site and please remember to upgrade your links.

The Redhunter

"Why We're There" (Iraq)

We on the right are guilty of letting the left frame the
debate about Iraq. President Bush is in reaction mode, only recently going
on the political offensive against his Democrat antagonists.

Look at how we argue; liberals howl about how Bush said there would be
WMD and we found none. Conservatives retort that a president cannot
ignore his intelligence chiefs. The left presists in its loony "Bush
lied!" mantra, conservatives roll their eyes and make jokes about how the
Democrats are now the part of Michael Moore. The left thinks the war
unwinnable, the right counters with facts and logic.

But there are good reasons why we are in Iraq, so let's go through
them.

Little Bit Tired, Little Bit Worn

Angry Humanists

I find it interesting that this blogger asserts that Dawkins has done in this show what others have been attempting to do for thousands of years, disprove God [*discuss their views and prove them on national television*]. No one has disproven the existance of God up to this point in time, yet Dawkins managed to do it in one television show? Amazing!

The Farce Report

Samuel Alito Hopefully Gets Grilled this Week

Samuel Alito will be spending most of the week getting grilled by the U.S. Senate, likely to be placed among the U.S. Supreme Court Justices. Since we're in round two for George W. Bush's pick for the Supreme Court, I suspect this will come to pass. And hopefully, not without a colorful fight.

Fitch Is Always Right

Just Say No

How long, if legalized, will it be before the same anti-capitalist losers are suing "Big Marijuana" for it's adverse effects on people? You just know these litigious cretins will be out there, "Scooby Doobie Doggy" is targeting young children. "Heroin Horse" is designed to market heroin to underprivileged minorities. Those eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeevillll Marijuana corporations, how dare they. That's tantamount to genocide, or at least slave ownership.

Below The Beltway

Can Islam Save Itself?

The idea that there will someday be an Islamic Reformation,
and moderate Muslims will be able to "save" their religion from its more
radical followers is in some sense the basis for current American
policy in Iraq.

Pererro

Life

man i was just thinking that i didn't know what to do but i tried really hard and maybe i could just go you know

just go and get something done i mean sometimes or maybe all the time i wouldn't even care what as long as it was something as long as i could affect something outside myself

The Liberal Wrong Wing

My Judicial Philosophy Part 1

Watching the Alito hearings these past couple of days, I began to think about my own judicial philosophy. And when I look over the Constitution, and my interpretation of it, I find my judicial philosophy to be much more conservative than I really am, although not on the major issues like abortion. And I come to find that I'd really enjoy being a Constitutional lawyer, or perhaps a Supreme Court justice some day (quit dreaming Kev). Perhaps I shall consider such a job. Just in case the whole President or in the very least Senator thing doesn't work out (again, quit dreaming).

The Young Conservatives

Iranian Uranium

Sanctions won't work, talking won't work. This man has a
singular mission, to "wipe Israel off the map." We have to protect Israel;
there is no compromise, there is no appeasement; we tried that in WWII.
It didn't work then, and it won't work now. The only choice to support
the prosperity of a Country that stands as a shining beacon of hope in
the middle of a region overrun with hate.

2 5 6 7 9 15 16 New Bloggers

2006-01-03T07:53:00.000-05:00

A Deeper Look
A Goddess' Journey
susie pie
Cordelya
Once More Into the Breach
CommonSenseAmerica
Camp Katrina
The Rogue Angel
FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog
Libertarian Leanings
Cinerati
Finestkind Clinic and fish market
The voice
Mrs. Happy Housewife
Solomon's House
Donovan's Blog

Best Of Homespun Bloggers December 25th & January 1st

2006-01-02T07:25:00.000-05:00

Musing

A faked memo-ry?

If you can get around Ann Coulter’s desperation to be more
important in this recent column, she still makes an excellent point. She
notes that, since they can’t win in elections, the liberals are
targeting Republicans in the courts. The problem is that in pretty much every
case they have brought, the Democrats have no legal or moral basis for
targeting these people. The only reason the Dems are bringing charges
against these Republicans is that they are dangerous to the Democrat’s
political aspirations.

The Conservative Cat

Confused Americans for Truth - Abusing Ben Franklin for Political Purposes

Ben Franklin once said "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Dr. Franklin turned many a clever phrase in his day, but that doesn't mean he has the last word in discussion of the Patriot Act.

The Redhunter

Will the Real Journalist Please Stand Up?

It has become a staple of conservatives that "you can't trust the msm and the best information about Iraq is on the Internet". I keep looking for something to prove that proposition wrong, but the harder I look the more it is confirmed.

The Washington Post and Louisville Journal-Courier have once again proven the proposition to be correct.

The Liberal Wrong Wing

Finally!

An outlook of the political environment for 2006.

MuD&PHuD

The Coming Conflict

Kevin over at The Smallest Minority has a great (and very long) post in which he seems to be looking for a way to define the opposing sides of what some see as the developing conflict within the US. The whole thing is quite involved so I won't try to summarize it further than that.

The point I want to bring up here is that I believe not only is there a developing conflict but that we are, at the very least, in the thick of the opening phase. As I mentioned in the comments, Thomas Jefferson recognized that societies have the tendency, if not the surety, to eventually fall from the Grace that is freedom and civil government when he said:

3 4 New Bloggers

2005-12-19T07:28:00.000-05:00

And THAT is MY Opinion...
Hypocrisy Abounds
The Barking Dingo
Angry Republican Mom

Best Of Homespun Bloggers December 18th, 2005

2005-12-19T06:59:00.000-05:00

Uncle Tonoose

NLT's 'It's A Wonderful Life'

Local theatre performs 1940s radio version of Christmas classic about George Bailey and Bedford Falls, N.Y.

Conservative Cat

Confused Americans for Truth - Rioting is Not the Solution to Lawlessness

Racial violence in Sydney, Australia is going into its third day, as police implement security measures to calm things down.

A BBC report lays the blame for the riots on long-term racial tensions between whites and Lebanese immigrants. Those tensions, however, are not racial in origin, but criminal. The rioters feel that Lebanese youth gangs are allowed to harass and assault beachgoers without fear of the police.

Musing

Anything to get Christ out of Christmas

The ´war against Christmas¡ rages on. A Wisconsin elementary school has changed the song ´Silent Night¡ to ´Cold in the Night,¡ and secularized the lyrics.

It is odd enough that school administrators were so uncomfortable with contentious and inflamatory lyrics like ´all is calm¡ and ´holy infant, so tender and mild". It is even more odd that while the subject of 'Christ¡ was considered taboo, other themes that were clearly religious or focused on non-Christian traditions were openly welcomed in the school.

The Liberal Wrong Wing

ACLU Skips a Second Amendment

Why is it that the American Civil Liberties Union, a group dedicated to protecting Constitutional rights, rarely commits to the protection of the rights guaranteed in the second amendment of the Constitution? The second amendment, the right to bear arms, is of course amongst the most important clauses in the United States Constitution. It is this Amendment that instills a true power to the people. Without it, our nation could easily descend into a nation in which the government does not acknowledge the genuine will of the people. The right to bear arms is a substantial right which finds itself at the forefront of the ideology of American democracy.

The Redhunter

History Lesson

The Washington Times has a "History Lessons" section on their
editorial page that has become a must-read. From today's edition:

From "Why the U.S. bombed," The Washington Times, Oct.
16, 1998, by National Security Adviser Samuel R. Berger:

"Following the Aug. 7 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and
Tanzania, the United States launched a missile strike against a factory in
Khartoum, Sudan, as well as against terrorist camps in Afghanistan.
Since then, some critics have suggested that we acted precipitously when we
struck the Sudanese Al Shifa plant. But, given what we knew, to not
have acted against that facility would have been the height of
irresponsibility.

Pererro

A pet peeve (nonclemature)

MizMena
10/24/2001 8:26:48 AM This is Amerika. What do you expect other than mass
marketing? Personally, I don't really care, for I see these books as nothing
more than Christian propoganda, anyway. They portray Christianity (the sons and
daughters of Eve) as the "good" and Witchcraft (the sons and daughters of

2 3 4 5 New Bloggers

2005-12-12T07:22:00.000-05:00

Patricia Ann's Writings from Pollywog Creek
Patricia Ann's Homeschool on her Pollywog Creek Porch
Dave's Not Here
chunkyrhino
Cozy Reader

Best Of Homspun Bloggers December 11th, 2005

2005-12-12T07:12:00.000-05:00

Pererro

Too Funny (War On Christmas)

This is odd. Now, I've been running away or laughing at tales of Christmas Wars this year, because I think the whole thing is silly.

But then, I see this (emphasis added)...

Grizzly Mama

It's official. The studies have now been studied.

Socialization of homeschoolers is no longer an issue.

"Susan McDowell, author of "But What About Socialization? Answering the Perpetual Home Schooling Question: A Review of the Literature,” has researched 24 studies on the socialization of homeschoolers, according to Bristol Herald Courier. "It’s a non-issue today," said McDowell, who earned Ph.D. in educational leadership from Vanderbilt University. "All the research shows children are doing well.""

The Redhunter

Getting Chilly Outside of Walter Reed

Last Friday, Dec 2, was the first really cold night in front of Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC.

But although temperatures were low and the wind blowing, spirits were high among the Freepers who showed up to counter the Pinkos.

Every Friday night the radical leftists group Code Pink show up at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital to hold a war protest. And everytime a crowd of patriots show up to counter them.

MuD&PHuD

Misdirection On Tax Cuts

This happens literally every time I see an article on tax cuts. Here's how the Washington Post puts it:

Mover Mike

Why I Said Murtha Is Right

...it appears we went in half-assed, and then when things turned against us, we want to cut and run. Our credibility is shot. No one, outside the US, believes the US can win a war, especially China and the Asian countries. They believe we bleed, we leave.

Collecting My Thoughts

Unintended Consequences

I ’ve been thinking a lot about unintended consequences after reading about polio epidemics following on the heels of the improved sanitation provided by flush toilets and toilet paper. Most recently, we’ve seen some unintended consequences in connection with Hurricane Katrina from personal and government generosity.

2 3 4 New Bloggers

2005-12-05T08:17:00.000-05:00

THE MEDIAN SIB
The Liberal Wrong - Wing
Republican Vet
Daddy's Roses

Best Of Homespun Bloggers December 4th, 2005

2005-12-05T07:45:00.000-05:00

Collecting My Thoughts

Wash before and after eating

Wash before and after eating fruits and vegetables. Have you ever tried to prepare a salad following the new guidelines for contaminated food? It appears that fecal matter is traveling with them to the stores, restaurants, and our kitchens. I just washed some mixed salad greens. First I washed my hands for 20 seconds; then I dumped the greens in some sudsy water, rinsed, and put them in a drainer, and ran water over them. By this time, I'd contaminated everything in sight, so I washed my hands again, and wiped down the sink and counter top. Then I laid out some paper towels and dried off the greens, which by this time were looking a bit poorly. Then when I tossed out the paper towels and the plastic bag they came in, I decided I was probably contaminated again, so I washed my hands again. I repacked the greens in 2 bags, and wiped down the counter tops and sink again. No, I don't have OC disorder, but if you don't follow some complicated sanitation guidelines, your first unwashed salad could be your last, or at least send you to the hospital with bad diarrhea.

Righting America >>>

Joe Lieberman says "Our Troops Must Stay!

There are politicians who place their (relatively) insignificant careers above their national calling, and then there is Joe Lieberman - who spoke his conscience (at grave political risk) through the Wall Street Journal after having just returned from his fourth trip to Iraq

Hubs and Spokes

The Heart of the Matter

Prior to Roe v. Wade, questions over the legal and moral
status of abortion were settled in an appropriate manner: through the
political process in the respective legislatures of the 50 states. The
debate was informed by the moral judgment of the citizenry and elected
representatives responded to the desires of their constituents. Roe changed
all that. Suddenly, a medical procedure of (at best) questionable
morality had become a Constitutional right, and the laws of the various
states were invalidated in a most anti-democratic manner. The result was
the end of any reasonable debate over abortion and the start of seemingly
endless social conflict between the pro-life and pro-abortion camps.

ruah

Reproductive Choice: The Big Lie

In my daily meanderings across the World Wide Web, I came
across a newspaper article regarding a poll that indicated that increasing
numbers of young women feel that unrestricted abortion should not be
available. That was refreshing, and I am glad to see it, but I took
special notice of a response to that article from a gentleman who is clearly
pro abortion.

Grizzly Mama

High School Diplomas and Homeschoolers in PA.

Although PA is a state with high regulation in regard to homeschoolers - we are lucky in that we have the PHAA - Pennsylvania Homeschoolers Accredidation Agency. PHAA's high school diploma is recognized by the PA Department of Education.

Unlike the GED - which many homeschoolers are forced to get in order to attend college or join the military - there is no stigma associated with PHAA's diploma.

2 3 5 New Bloggers

2005-11-28T08:37:00.000-05:00

The Real Ugly American
Daddyhoo
Special Fried Rice
Right Minded
Bloggin' Outloud
Don't Go Into The Light

Best Of Homespun Bloggers November 27th, 2004

2005-11-28T06:58:00.000-05:00

Be sure to check out the 11th edition of Homespun Bloggers Radio!

Pererro

Closed Source Media Update 1 -DNS Interview

Hello, all! Closed Source Media Update is getting off the ground, and we're really excited. So excited, that we can't wait to hear your feedback about our team.

Stop The ACLU

Interview with the Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiller

Many know him as the Emperor Misha, Darth Misha or the Rottweiller. We usually address him as simply Misha, and we want to thank his royalness for allowing this humble blog to do his first time ever, exlusive interview. So, on with the show. Our interview with the Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiller. A little warning, this interview is about a mile long.

Homespun Bloggers Radio, Program #11, released!

2005-11-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

In this edition of HBR:

Andrew Ian Dodge of Dodgeblogium brings the London Report, a tribute to the pioneer blogger "Mama Bear", and his experience with the digitial distribution of music.
At Andrew's suggestion, we have a song by a friend of his, Mitch & the Distractions, about celebrities who like to get photo ops of them "Wavin' at the Poor".
Jay Dean, of The Radical Centrist and The Bird's Eye View, warns that politicians tend to package up a problem and a solution to that problem in a way that is more often self-serving
Doug Payton, of Considerettes, gives his post-mortem on the vote to bring the troops home now. The Democrats got what they asked for, but not what they wanted.

You have 3 ways to listen to HBR:

Streaming audio (click here or on the HBR button on the right for the current show, or click here or on "Previous Show(s)" beneath the HBR button for some of the recent previous shows)
Download the show (click here or on "Show 11" down below in the right)
and the Podcast (click here or on the "Podcast" graphic on the right, copy the URL into your podcast software)

Homespun Bloggers: If you're interested in participating, E-mail me at "frodo at thepaytons dot org". It's open to all members. All you need is a PC, a microphone, and something to say!

Visitors: If you'd like to get on the air with HBR, just join our band of bloggers and you're eligible. (And immediately getting over 280 links to your own blog ain't so bad either!)

New Blogger

2005-11-21T08:55:00.000-05:00

The Enigma

Best Of Homespun Bloggers November 21st, 2005

2005-11-21T07:22:00.000-05:00

Be sure to check out this week's Homespun Symposium below.

Considerettes

A change coming in African-American voting patterns?

An historic first; an local NAACP leader switched to the GOP. Does this portend things to come better than the polls do?

Nickie Goomba

Hurry! They're going fast

Thanks to Rhod for the spiffy idea

Conservative Cat

Can Santa Claus Save the Democrats?

David at Third World County made the following observation in response to Doctor Dean Turns Out to be A Quack.

Collecting My Thoughts

Time for a new notebook

and I don't mean a computer--the old fashioned, use a #2 pencil, 6" x 8", spiral bound, hard cover, lined paper notebook. I don't write these blog entries out of the air, you know, (well, sometimes I do). I read and take notes in long hand, then I think and decipher my scribbles and look for links to see what American Daughter or Dr. Sanity or Jane Galt or Neo-Neocon and Barbara Nicolosi are writing about. Usually, they aren't blogging about my topics, but that takes another two hours. Anyway, a notebook can last for three months, but the last one was begun on September 1, and I had way too much to say about Katrina and the liberals who claimed the federal government should be the first responder. So by November 1, I only had 15 pages left. I actually ran out on the 14th, and was scribbling in margins and on the covers. So today, it is officially, NEW NOTEBOOK DAY.

Pererro

Flying Spaghetti Monster

Bleah.

Anyway, check this out.

Thoughts by Seawitch

Justice Reaffirmed

Some how I missed the first decision made by the Mississippi Supreme Court on October 13 to deny bond to Edgar Killen. That despicable member of the degenerate Klu Klux Klan who played a direct role in the murders of three civil rights workers, James Chaney, Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman in 1964. I was disgusted when Judge Gordon released him on bail.

Ales Rarus

Shut Up and Fill the Prescription

There has recently been a great push in the world of women's health to consider prescription birth control (oral contraceptives, IUD, DepoProvera, etc.) not only a "right" but indeed a necessity - the "standard of care," if you will. The fact that ever-growing numbers of registered pharmacists are refusing to fill legal prescriptions for such birth control has caught the attention of quite a few powerful pro-choice and "feminist" groups, who have made it their goal to force such professionals by law to fill all such prescriptions with no questions asked. As a practicing pharmacist, I would like to try to address this issue.

Homespun Symposium XXXVII

2005-11-20T16:09:00.000-05:00

All...again I must apologize to the ranks for not keeping up with the weekly topic. Sometimes the 9-5 job just seems to want more time than it deserves.

This week saw a lot of commotion on both sides of the aisle in Congress, so I thought that our esteemed representatives deserved a little attention here by the learned folks that respond to the Symposium question.

Without further ado...here's the 37th Symposium question...

What do you make of the "up or down" vote that would have demanded the immediate withdrawl of all American forces from Iraq?

As always, there is no right or wrong answer...only yours that you wish to share.

Please feel free to post it as a comment to this post OR you can email it to me at MajorDad1984 - at - gmail - dot - com.

Thanks for your support!

MajorDad1984

2 3 New Bloggers

2005-11-14T06:34:00.000-05:00

StandingOutInTheCold
Peace Like A River
Ask Daddy - Mommy is Off Duty

Best Of Homespun Bloggers November 13th, 2005

2005-11-13T22:12:00.000-05:00

Dagney's Rant

California Has Lost It!

What has happened to the state I grew up in? What is it about a 12 year old child informing her parents if she wants to have an abortion that doesn't sound reasonable to you, Californians? What about that simple question do you not understand, folks? A law, with acceptable caveats for exceptions doesn't make sense to you? What? Are you all NUTS?

The Bull Speaks!

Don't Blame the Pagans!

"So, why would Pagans want to turn OUR OWN SYMBOLS upside-down?
You idiots! This is a marketing ploy, pure and simple."

Nedreck Milhunky

My Story - Part 1

From the information that the enemy left behind at the headquarters, we quickly found out what we were in for. We were outnumbered by a hundred at the least. It would be a suicide mission. Right then and there we made a pact, that the three of us would fight to the last breath, the last drop of blood, to defend our family and our homeland. As we ran out and headed towards the field, we knew we would not make it out alive, but still charged ahead into the enemy fire.

Pererro

Eating the Floor

It's a very evocative phrase, isn't it? Falling on your face, wiping out on a bike, being some sort of wood and carpet eating monster, being the victim of a beatdown or passing out drunk...

Collecting My Thoughts

Just who is politicizing the war?

The Democrats were out with their talking points seconds after Bush's Veteran's Day speech. Shock. Horror. He's politicizing the war!!!! He's finally, finally, pointing out what we all know--they were all convinced and supporting the issues that brought us to Iraq when they thought they'd get some votes. I hope he keeps it up. He's sticking by his words--let them do the same.

Stop The ACLU

Top Ten Reasons To Stop The ACLU

Stop The ACLU was started on February 9th, 2004. We started with high hopes, and we realized we were facing a goliath. There were many reasons why we thought the ACLU needed to be countered, and they are numerous. We wanted to provide a way to inform the public of the ACLU’s agenda, as the MSM sugar coated it. We wanted to be a central database for people to gather, exchange ideas, and get actively involved in real ways of stopping them. It is a monumental task, exhausting, time consuming, and often frustrating. But it is a fight worth fighting.

The Southern Conservative

Secular Liberals: The "Useful Idiots" For Radical Islam

As secular liberals pull further and further away from the real causes they claim to champion, Christianity, merely by being what it is, reminds them of their own hollow core. And, secular liberals see anything that makes them ashamed of themselves as an oppressor. Therefore, regardless of the real barbarity of radical Islam, secular liberals will always see Christians as their greatest threat.

The Redhunter

Leftist Whacko Update

The folks at Code Pink at least know the origin of Veterans Day.

Cute, eh?

2 4 5 7 8 9 10 11 New Bloggers

2005-11-07T13:31:00.000-05:00

Sacramento Republicrat
Below The Beltway
Colossians Three Sixteen
Alabama Improper
Connecticut Conservative
Nedreck Milhunky
The Young Conservatives
Memory patterns
Sprittibee
jay adkins
The Blazer Blog

Best Of Homespun Bloggers November 6th, 2005

2005-11-07T08:03:00.000-05:00

Tran Sient's Watch

Worldview from the Left

Let’s summarize the current worldview of Democrats around the nation. Feel free to jump in and fill in anything that I may have missed. I will make this a running post and transpose any decent suggestions into the main post.

21st Century Reformation

Philippians 4:13 – The Most Misinterpreted Verse in America

Again, picture the beauty queen all decked out in high heels and a bikini. The final choice for the winner is announced and the nice Texan girl wins. As she is interviewed she tries to give glory to God and says, “I just want to give glory to God, for I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. What is wrong with this picture other than the high heels and the bikini?

Pererro

Three! Three! Three!

Three posts in a row, for some reason. Well, cos i stopped for class and I'm now going to bed. Well, off to exercise and shower and then go to bed. I'd tell you more, but I don't want to disseminate propaganda.

hubs and spokes

For the Record - Rockefeller on WMDs circa October 2002

Ace:

It's time for a political advertisement knitting together Clinton's, Gore's, Hillary!'s, Rockefeller's, Kerry's, etc.'s various statements over the years warning against Saddam's bio, chem, and nuclear programs.

The Conservative Cat

Confused Americans for Truth - The Curse of Inventory Profits

Obscene oil profits are back in the news. Currently, they're taking a back seat to the whole Iraq war intelligence thing, but that can't last forever.

Collecting My Thoughts

1715 The Bill Gates Malaria Gift

It was sad to see on ABC News two nights ago the news of the Bill and Melinda Gates gift to develop drugs to fight malaria. Yes, thousands of Africans die of malaria every day, but those deaths are unnecessary. Until Americans were duped by Rachel Carson's misinformation, good progress was being made against this terrible disease. Since 1972 when the EPA banned its use, millions have died needlessly. This "do-gooder" impulse we Americans have has killed more Africans than the infamous slave trade of the 17th and 18th centuries. Even if this experimental vaccine works, it won't be ready for another five years, which means many more years of death for Africans. ABC never even mentioned there is another option. Malaria was well under control from the 1940s-1970s. And now without the spraying of homes, it has emerged again in the last 30 years as a killer. It was completely unnecessary.

Considerettes

Some disingenuousness to note among the Democratic reaction to Alito. But first, some background.

Democrats had no qualms about replacing a moderately conservative Byron White with a liberal Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In spite of ideological differences, and respecting the fact that Clinton had the right to choose who he wished as a result of winning the election, Republicans voted for her 96-3. Ginsburg was not an ideological replacement for White; she was a shift to the left. In addition, according to the paper here (PDF format, see page 9), Justice Stephen Breyer was even further to the left of who he was replacing--Blackmun--than Ginsburg was. (Note: I make no claim regarding the methodology used in that paper in rating the justices; I'm just using it as a general indicator of ideology.) Blackmun was quite conservative while Breyer shows up as a centrist on the chart. Again, Republicans didn't invoke ideology, and confirmed Breyer 91-9.

2 New Bloggers

2005-11-02T20:57:00.000-05:00

Blog from Mossback Meadow
The Surging Waves

Best Of Homespun Bloggers October 30th, 2005

2005-10-31T07:33:00.000-05:00

ruah

Cord Blood Bill Stalled in Senate

I guess it's time to write our senators. A noncontroversial bill that could do a great deal of good is stalled in the Senate along with the very controversial bill to expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. The Senate is not planning to address either bill before the next session. That would be a mistake.

Collecting my Thoughts

1667 What do the Democrats need to do

to take back the Congress, the Presidency and the Courts? Well, a few weeks ago all you needed to do was type in “Democrats need. . .” into Google and you’d find that Democrats were longing, begging even, for some good, strong ideas, values and concepts. But that’s all changed during the Fall of 2005. Bush has stumbled badly and his base is discouraged. And it’s this, not ideas or programs, that has energized the Democrats. It’s really pathetic--from both parties--isn’t it? The Democrats still have no ideas, but they’re smelling blood, and they know how soft and wimpy the Republican voters are. The President of big, bold ideas cracks up when he should be going for the gold. He should be rallying the troops and giving us one of the best courts in the history of the nation.

The Bull Speaks!

Finally! I've been asked the Question Outright!

“Is American ready to have a woman, or a black, in the Office of President of the United States?”

Pererro

Story time!
Eh, here's something to make up for having to read my homework. Something a bit funnier, I thought.

(a) Love Story (to my wife)

The old Sentra creaks as I step out, leaning a bit too far to one side, its bones groaning at the sudden movement of my rather over-sized bulk. I pat the purple-gray roof reassuringly once I have emerged, but my hand comes away dirty and I curse, not wanting to wipe it off on my party clothes, but also not thinking of entering the party dirty-handed as much of an option.

Musing

US Today doctors Condi photo

The mediaÿs attempts to belittle and attack the Bush administration are moving beyond the realm of partisan politics into the realm of pathetic immaturity. It doesnÿt matter if the attacks come in the form of improperly characterizing the Plame investigation or doctoring photos to make peopleÿs eyes glow.

Righting America

Ya' Gotta Love Tony Blair - He's PISSED at Iran

Israel "must be wiped out from the map of the world," according to Iran's new President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, "And God willing, with the force of God behind it, we shall soon experience a world without the United States and Zionism."

This does not seem to bode well for the West's future relations with this "other" Gulf country, and Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair was not amused. Not amused at all…..

The Redhunter

Fake Vigils

Here they are, holding their fake vigil in my home town:

(Photo)

What these people claim to be doing is holding a vigil to "mark the death of the 2,000th reported U.S. military death in Iraq and to say that the country’s pro-peace majority wants Congress to stop the deaths by stopping the dollars that are funding the war."

What they're really doing is exploiting war dead to push an insane agenda that at the least would result in more, not less, bloodshed in Iraq, and at worst an al-Qaeda run caliphate throughout the Middle East.

MuD&PHuD

Great Question

Here is a really good question from post-hurricane Florida:

"This is like the Third World," said Claudia Shaw, who spent several hours in a gas line. "We live in a state where we suffer from these storms every year. Where is the planning?"

Well Ms. Shaw, let's see what your good governor has to say on the matter.

Homespun Symposium XXXVI

2005-10-30T20:16:00.000-05:00

I apologize for letting this feature slide a little more than I should...sometimes it's quite difficult to come up with something I think that the masses might be interested in. Just be thankful that the World Series ended fast enough that I didn't get another sports topic up here.

For this week, I'd like you to pontificate upon the following:

Once again, it would appear that Halloween is under attack by those that find the practice offensive. An elementary school in the Boston area has cancelled a planned Halloween celebration for the kids and staff due to threats of children being kept home to avoid participating. Rather than have kids kept home...the principal caved to the pressure exerted by a few families and took a holiday that can be good, clean fun from the majority.

Where do you fall in on this argument?

See you on the high ground....and a very Happy Halloween or Fall Festival Night...depending how you answer the symposium question.

MajorDad1984

Pumpkin by MajorTeen.

Symposium Contributors...please email me the permalinks to your responses. MajorDad1984 - at - gmail - dot -com.

Responses

MajorDad1984

2 3 4 New Bloggers

2005-10-26T13:10:00.000-04:00

Peakah's Provocations
Lest Darkness Fall
Amorphous Muse
Pererro

Homespun Bloggers Radio, Program #10, released!

2005-10-24T19:52:00.000-04:00

Homespun Bloggers Radio hits 2 milestones; our 10th show and our first since starting podcasting. We have some of our regular voices, some old voices returning, and a new voice, not to mention music from the band of one of our own Homespun Bloggers.

Tom Carroll, of MuD&PHuD and founder of Homespun Bloggers, starts off with a welcome and some thanks to folks for listening and contributing.
Andrew Ian Dodge of Dodgeblogium brings the London Report; a tale of two Davids, and the latest from Open Europe. Also appearing on HBR is his band, "Growing Old Disgracefully".
Doug Payton, of Considerettes, talks about his "discovery" of podcasting, and mentions some of his favorites (Shelley the Republican, Money Matters, Slashdot Review, and The Transmission).
Derek Gilbert, of the blog Weapon of Mass Distraction and the podcast Peering Into Darkness, reads between the lines in regards to avian flu preparations.
Amelia Latella, granddaughter of famed commentator Emily Latella, speaks out on the California ban on phishing.

You now have 3 ways to listen to HBR:

Streaming audio (click here or on the HBR button on the right for the current shows, or click here or on "Previous Show(s)" beneath the HBR button for some of the recent previous shows)
Download the show (click here or on "Show 10" down below in the right)
and now the Podcast (click here or on the "Podcast" graphic on the right, copy the URL into your podcast software)

Homespun Bloggers: If you're interested in participating, E-mail me at "frodo at thepaytons dot org". It's open to all members. All you need is a PC and a microphone!

Visitors: If you'd like to get on the air with HBR, just join our band of bloggers and you're eligible. (And immediately getting over 280 links to your own blog ain't so bad either!)

Best Of Homespun Bloggers October 23rd, 2005

2005-10-24T07:00:00.000-04:00

Grizzly Mama

From Sunup to Sundown?

This article, which I found via Homeschool Buzz tells the story of a homeschooled young man who attained a perfect score on his ACT. It's a wonderful story - and one that supports my belief in homeschooling - except that I take issue with the statement at the beginning of the article. It is this:

"Daniel studies from the time he wakes up until the sun sets, and his studies are paying off."

The Bull Speaks!

Terror Survival, my big ol' butt!

"I’ve just wasted 15 minutes of the short amount of time I have left on this planet reading a pile of shyte called a Terror Survival Handbook. Here’s the list of items they suggest you have on you at all times."

MuD&PHuD

Goldstein On Language

Jeff Goldstein at Protein Wisdom has been developing a bit of a theme that boils down to the seemingly simple concept: Language matters. The concept is so simple, methinks, that we tend to not notice when someone (or some group) hijacks the very words we use to express our thoughts (paging Mr. Orwell). Here's a bit of his latest post on the subject:

Musing

On Plame-gate

The New York Sun has an interesting op-ed on the Plame-gate situation, noting that most of the recent media hype seems to be based on weak logical foundations ... The Dems appear to be missing the fact that they are far from scoring a death blow against the Bush administration here. Once again (as evidenced by their drooping public ratings) they are coming out of this investigation looking like petty, partisan hacks that willingly turn a blind eye to leaks in general and then actively use the information derived from leaks when they stand to gain from them, but then scream bloody murder when an, at best, questionable ´leak¡ might possibly gain them a few political points. Theirÿs is a naked and transparent grab for power, not an attempt to clean out corruption in DC. If they were serious about addressing corruption, they would have to demand indictments for themselves just as vigorously.

The Redhunter

Syria: Threat Assessment

Following is the Theat Assessment regarding Syria that was jointly written by myself, Marvin Hutchins of Little Red Blog, and Bill Rice of By Dawn's Early Light. An introduction and explanation of these "Threat Assessments" can be found in my post on the matter here.

Following is our assessment of the threat to the United States posed by Syria, as of June 2005.

2 New Bloggers

2005-10-19T09:36:00.000-04:00

Everyman Chronicles
Little Bit of This ‘n That

Best Of Homespun Bloggers October 16th, 2005

2005-10-17T07:45:00.000-04:00

The Redhunter

On Hate and Self-Satisfaction

Why do some people hate George W Bush so much? A pious urge to feel better about ones self, or self-satisfaction, is part of the answer, I think.

Collecting my Thoughts

1616 So how's that working for you?

is a favorite expression of Dr. Phil after a guest has just spilled her guts about how badly she messed up her life and that of 37 other people. I've been wondering that about FEMA. For all of you who want more federal interference in our health care system, have you been watching the response? Let's skip New Orleans. I don't care how good FEMA might have been, it couldn't have overcome the Blanco-Nagin disaster response team.

Blog D'Elisson

Life and Death

In Judaism, we have plenty of commandments to observe: 613 of them, to be precise, although not all of them can be observed in the absence of a Temple and sacrificial cult. But, with rare exception, *none of those commandments is more important than the need to save a life.* The Hebrew term is /pikuach nefesh/ - the preservation of life – and it trumps all religious duties.

MuD&PHuD

Schoolyard Bullying

The morning DJ on my drive into work today was talking about a recent survey that found something like 60% of students report witnessing some form of bullying every day in school (perhaps along these lines, but I can't seem to find the actual 'recent' study). When I was in middle and high school there certainly was a good (or perhaps, bad) amount of bullying going on, and I'm sure it has not gotten better.

The Bull Speaks!

The Cell Phone & Freedom

"I can’t help but to wonder how some of these protesters would have felt had they stood looking down on the carnage of Gettysburg on the third morning, or had they been at Pearl Harbor, Omaha Beach, or Iwo Jima."

2 New Bloggers

2005-10-10T07:40:00.000-04:00

Kiihnworld
Death by Meth

Best Of Homespun Bloggers October 9th, 2005

2005-10-10T07:17:00.000-04:00

Righting America

Racism, the Welfare State, Sharpton, Bennett and YOU

Is it just me, or is all this fuss about racism making many of us non-minority folk (who are NOT racists), feel kinda', ummmmm, RACIST? Is the taboo of talking about racism finally wearing off for white people, who might be tired of paying a pennance that we did not (personally) earn? Well, it is for me. Big time.

Eric's Grumbles Before The Grave

Continuing to Correspond with Senator Boxer

I sent this to Senator Boxer (D-CA) tonight after having received her response to my initial correspondence with her suggesting that she support cutting pork spending to pay for Hurricane Katrina relief. I posted my initial response to that correspondence in this entry. Based on her response, Senator Boxer appears to think that pork spending constitutes "vital social programs".

Thoughts By Seawitch

My Mississippi

I have been searching for a song or a poem to articulate my feelings about my Mississippi and have failed. So tonight I wrote this.

My Mississippi

Gentle waves that lap the shore
Hot grains of sand my feet long for

Poor Man

Once, again, Al Gore has lost it.

Ever since loosing to W in 2000, he has become positively unhinged.

In a speech the other day at a media conference he said that American democracy was in "grave danger" because of....

MuD&PHuD

Never Here, Revisted

I originally wrote this as a comment in response to probligo (which was in response to this post) but decided that it deserved its own post. Here goes:

probligo,

I know, cases like that are extremely difficult. I have spent time at a hospital dedicated to long-term care. The pediatric ward is possibly the most depressing thing I've ever witnessed. And, some way I can't describe, the most beautiful.

2 New Bloggers

2005-10-03T07:19:00.000-04:00

luz en invierno
Burma Watch.com

Best Of Homespun Bloggers October 2nd, 2005

2005-10-03T07:06:00.000-04:00

Grizzly Mama

Ground Zero

Had a great time with my sister. Went to the shore, Reading Terminal Market, a family dinner and NYC to see the Statue of Liberty and Ground Zero. Taking a 5 y/old to NYC was quite an adventure. I had no idea that it would be so difficult because my girlies and me..well..we go everywhere together. But it was hard for the 5 y/old.

Musing

Naginÿs excuse

Ray Nagin has come up with a classic excuse for his overblown hyperbole, forecasting tens of thousands dead during the Katrina aftermath...´As far as exaggerations, I was in the moment,¡ said Nagin. I was in the moment should be the rallying cry for all of the officials that so badly botched the job in Louisiana, as well as the MSMÿs lies and misinformation about Katrina. It provides a nice contrast to ´stuck on stupid".

Photos and Report from the Protests in Washington DC

As promised, I attended the protests in Washington DC on Saturday, September 24

The short version; it was a freakshow.

But it was also an awful lot of fun, in a weird sort of way, and I advise anyone with such events taking place near then to do likewise and attend them. Heck, we had people on our side fly in from all around the country just to attend our counter-demonstration.

MuD&PHuD

To Federalize Or Not To Federalize

Choice 'B', please.

The answer to disaster readiness is not to strip state and local government of power and responsibility in favor of giving that power to the federal government. While I think Bush has a lot of really good qualities as President, this is one case in which he and I disagree. That's fine, the thing that scares me is that I agree with the ACLU on this one. Yikes.

Homespun Blogger Symposium XXXV

2005-10-01T09:01:00.000-04:00

This week President Bush is kicking around the idea of increasing the role of the US armed forces in reacting to major natural disasters here at home. This seems to be pushing up against the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 pretty hard. This law prevents the US military from acting in a law enforcement role within our borders. Following the Civil War, it made sense to provide a sense of sovereignty to the states that had law behind it from enforcing an overbearing federal government from wrongly using federal troops in a domestic role.

What are your thoughts about this mission creep for our military, especially in a time when we're at war with a major portion of our forces engaged?

When you're done with your response...please email me and I'll post your link!

See you on the high ground!

MajorDad1984

The Responses

Cursed by a Classical Education

Basil's Blog

Ogre's Politics and Views

Considerettes

New Blogger

2005-09-28T07:40:00.000-04:00

Christian Grace Treasures

We're podcasting!

2005-09-27T17:08:00.000-04:00

Homespun Bloggers Radio, in addition to being available via streaming audio and download, is now available via Podcast. Click here or on the Podcast graphic to the right for the subscription URL you need for your Podcasting software. Now you can take HBR with you with ease.

UPDATE: As suggested by Andrew Ian Dodge, the podcast now sends the high-quality version of the show. The low-quality version will still be used for the streaming audio (due to bandwidth limitations at the server side).

Best Of Homespun Bloggers September 26, 2005

2005-09-26T07:04:00.000-04:00

Musing

Donÿt get stuck on stupid

Use it widely and often. Whenever some ~~liberal activist~~ reporter starts into the stupid questions, PLEASE tell them not to get ´stuck on stupid".

Considerettes

What's Wrong With the New New Deal

Is rebuilding a city with little or no federal funds really possible? Well, we did it before; 3 times in a 35 year timespan. Why can't we do it now?

THOUGHTS BY SEAWITCH

A New Beginning

Arising like a phoenix from the cleared rubble of our offices, a new beginning:

It's a 30x10 trailer and will have to hold 7 or more people. But we'll manage. The back of the trailer which will be my office and one other is where my desk used to be in the old office. One of my bosses remarked that now I had a great view of the Back Bay. Which is true because Katrina wiped out the houses and most of the trees which were behind there.

Work has begun on the freezer and the newest section will be repaired first so that we can start freezing shrimp again. We maybe able to start peeling shrimp in about 3-4 weeks. There were a couple of seafood plants on the south side of Biloxi Back Bay that survived and arrangements are being made to use those facilities at night so we can go into production. A lot of our customers have contacted us via e-mail and are awaiting our product.

MuD&PHuD

Leaving New Orleans

I've blogged few stories I've run across about people dealing with the aftermath of Katrina in various was, mostly good (1, 2, 3). Well, here is an account that is less than inspiring (expect, of course, that he survived):

Homespun Bloggers Radio, Program #9, released!

2005-09-25T19:48:00.000-04:00

Music and opinion are the fare in this edition of Homespun Bloggers Radio.

Andrew Ian Dodge, of the blog "Dodgeblogium", gives us some music in response to the London bombings of last July. His band "Growing Old Disgracefully" plays "Cry Freedom".
Doug Payton, of "Considerettes", talks about the federal response to Katrina, and what that tells us about the role of government.

Click here to listen or on the "Homespun Bloggers Radio" button to the right. The current audio feed is a loop of shows #8 & #9. Also, you can click here to download a high-quality version of the show. (Scroll down on the right side to download previous shows.) The 2 previous shows can also be heard by clicking here or on "Previous Show(s)" beneath the HBR button.

Homespun Bloggers: If you're interested in participating, E-mail me at "frodo at thepaytons dot org". It's open to all members. All you need is a PC and a microphone!

Visitors: If you'd like to get on the air with HBR, just join our band of bloggers and you're eligible. (And immediately getting over 200 links to your own blog ain't so bad either!)

Homespun Blogger Symposium XXXIV

2005-09-24T17:40:00.000-04:00

This week we all sat on the sidelines...and some of us were in the path of the next hurricane after Katrina.

What did you see different in the preparation and aftermath of this storm compared to the one that devestated the Gulf Coast regions of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama?

Was the response better? Worse? What would you change?

See you on the high ground!

MajorDad1984

2 New Bloggers

2005-09-19T08:48:00.000-04:00

Eliminate Credit Card Debt
The Hodgepodger

Best Of Homespun Bloggers September 18th, 2005

2005-09-18T19:57:00.000-04:00

Musing

Presidentÿs speech

I listened to the Presidentÿs speech from New Orleans last night as I was driving home from work. While I was listening, I was torn; at times I was shaking my head in disgust at other times I was I little hopeful.

The Roberts Hearings

...for three days in a row John Roberts has been questioned by various senators. Interestingly enough, before about 1955 nominees to the court didn't even apear before the senate. In fact, they refused to go, considering it beneath their dignity to subject themselves to questioning to a bunch of political hacks. And from what I've seen (or rather, heard), they had a point.

For all their pontificating, and attempts by some (Shumer, Biden) to show us that they too know the law ("really, we do!"), it all comes down to one issue. There is only one thing they want to know, because it is at the heart of modern liberalism.

MuD&PHuD

Bad NLDC!

It would appear that the NLDC has officially made it onto the poopy-list of a no few state and local officials:

New London — Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered the New London Development Corp. Thursday to rescind the relocation notices it sent to some property owners at Fort Trumbull, and her staff suggested that she — like some city officials — had lost confidence in the agency's management of its $73 million redevelopment project.

spinbadz own

Truth is a harsh mistress

Near the climax of his 1966 novel The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, sci-fi legend Robert Heinlein details an attack on earth by a rebelling colony of humans exiled to the moon.

The moon rebels hurl bombs with pin-point accuracy at strategic targets on earth. They want to cause structural damage and frighten rather than kill human beings. So, in the case of St. Louis, Kansas City and New Orleans they aim for the nearby rivers.

Considerettes

Our efforts haven't been wasted

A million dinars may not be a whole lot ($680) relative to the amount required for the Katrina cleanup, but this donation, collected by the Iraqi military from soldiers, is both heartwarming and a good barometer of how much they actually do love us over there.

Homespun Blogger Symposium XXXIII

2005-09-17T10:57:00.000-04:00

Using the president's address on Thursday night as the basis of this week's question...

How do "we" eliminate the "deep, persistent poverty having roots in racial discrimination" such as we've seen in the Gulf Coast region over the past three weeks?

This is a pretty open-ended question...feel free to answer completely.

See you on the high ground!

MajorDad1984

The Respondents

Cursed by a Classical Education
CrossBlogging">

New Blogger

2005-09-12T10:12:00.000-04:00

Red Hot Cuppa Politics
RightFaith
Area417

Best Of Homespun Bloggers September 11th, 2001

2005-09-12T06:58:00.000-04:00

Musing

And Wolf is so stupid

What's up with Wolf Blitzer?

BLITZER: "You simply get chills every time you see these poor individuals, as Jack Cafferty just pointed out, so tragically, so many of these people, almost all of them that we see, are so poor and they are so black, and this is going to raise lots of questions for people who are watching this story unfold."

Whereas we are all now very much aware that "George Bush doesn't care about black people!", it is abundantly clear that CNN really does care.

From Thoughts by Seawitch

Not My Stories

These are not my stories but are ones that need to be shared. They are stories of survival from a storm surge that is estimated to have been from 28 feet to 32 feet.

One of my bosses sons stayed in his house on Biloxi Back Bay during Hurricane Katrina. He ended up in his attic to escape the wall of water and watched as the water crept higher and higher and then subsided. He had to be rescued by his family after the winds subsided. The only means of communication he had was his Nextel radio. He is safe and sound and was not injured and is working at the plant to clear the rubble so the rebuilding process can begin.

Support the Troops Weekend

September 23, 24, and 26 is Support the Troops weekend.

Rallies are being held in Washington DC area throughout that weekend, so if you live here or can get here please attend one or more. Several leftist groups are holding "anti-war" (and anti much else, too) demonstrations, and it is important that there's is not the only message that is seen and heard.

MuD&PHuD

Never Forget, Always Remember

Each of these pictures are worth well more than 1000 words. I'll offer only two:

Always Remember.

HomeSpun Blogger Symposium XXXII

2005-09-09T19:30:00.000-04:00

Sorry about not being on top of things for the past few weeks, but I'm back AND so is the Symposium.

The question this week...

How do you feel about Hurricane Katrina?

Yes, that's a very open ended question and gives you plenty of latitude in formulating your responses.

I'll have something up later tonight!

See you on the high ground!

MajorDad1984

Thoughts by Seawitch

Cursed by a Classical Education
Grizzly Mama
Dane Bramage

2 New Bloggers

2005-09-06T10:08:00.000-04:00

Tidbits And Treasures
Zaphriel's Blog

Homespun Best Of For August 28th and September 4th

2005-09-06T07:30:00.000-04:00

Righting America >>>

Make September 11th a “National Day of Service”

Gary Sinise (LT Dan of "Forrest Gump" and star of "CSI: New York") has sent out a call to all Americans to help recognize September 11th in a most human and patriotic way - make 9-11 a National Day of Service.

In case you don't already know it, Mr. Sinise is nothing like his narcissistic Hollywood contemporaries. He, along with Laura Hillenbrand (author of "Sea Biscuit") launched an excellent program in March 2004 called Operation Iraqi Children which is a program that enables Americans to send School Supply Kits to Iraqi children, which is distributed by American Soldiers on the ground in Iraq. (I am proud to say that I contributed an original T-Shirt design for that effort, which Mr. Sinise used, along with funding by my old shipmate and his friend Mike Burress, to gain contributions for OIC).

Now, Gary is at it again. Here is his message:

Musing

Like I said

Just like I said in a recent comment here, the Cindy Sheehan brigade is
being headed up by a bunch of burnt out hippies ... Joan Baez people
...
JOAN bloody BAEZ!!!

MuD&PHuD

Limits To Free Speech And Assembly

I am absolutely disgusted by how amazingly egregiously this crosses the line of Free Speech:

Washington (CNSNews.com) - The Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., the current home of hundreds of wounded veterans from the war in Iraq, has been the target of weekly anti-war demonstrations since March. The protesters hold signs that read "Maimed for Lies" and "Enlist here and die for Halliburton."

Shame on these bastards and shame on the DC Police Department for issuing them permits to protest.

The Southern Conservative

The SouthCon True Hollywood Story

Canadian Actress Margot Kidder immerged from her neighbor's bushes this week, long enough to become a US citizen. Kidder said that she became a citizen because she was afraid that she'd be deported because she opposes the war in Iraq. Kidder is best known for three days she spent missing in 1996, only to be found hiding in her neighbor's back yard, claiming that the CIA was following her. For it's part, the CIA denied Kidder's claims, stating that they were too busy rounding up and deporting people who opposed US government policies to spend their time stalking
unemployed actresses.

Grizzly Mama

Amanda has a question

I don't know that there is an answer to her question in her entry titled Longing and Denial. It is about people suffering with infertility. Longing for a baby and never having that need fulfilled. The question asks, 'Why won't more young women give their babies away, rather than killing them?' I wonder this same thing. We have suffered through infertility and were blessed with a baby after much anxiety, years of heartbreak, dollars spent, testing endured and anger.

Musing

Now it was Reaganÿs fault?

In a June article, Joseph Bast, from the Heartland Institute, predicted that there was going to be a serious upheaval in the political scene in the next decade. In fact, he predicted the election of a Libertarian President by 2016.

The Southern Conservative

Getting Science Off It's Butt

I've believed for some time now that some scientists are in such a rush to harvest embryonic stem cells for research mostly because they like new technology and new potential, not because they really believe the primrose promises they make us. From my point of view, two recent medical advances seem to support my belief.

4 6 New Bloggers

2005-08-23T11:06:00.000-04:00

Latino Issues
Weight Loss Etc...
Truth, Lies & Common Sense
Optical Illusions Etc...
What Real People Think
your hands and feet are mangos..

Best Of Homespun Bloggers August 21st, 2004

2005-08-22T07:05:00.000-04:00

The View from the Firehouse

In Response

It the easiest thing in the world to say you're a Christian, but to get up everyday and "walk the walk" can be one of the hardest. When Jesus says lose your life He not talking about death, He saying deny yourself what the world has to offer and follow me. Luke 12 says:

ginasrantings

USA Rulz

I am mystified as to what is happening in our sweet home here in The
USA

Righting America

Soldier Schools Matt Lauer of the TODAY SHOW

Ah, the arrogance of the Liberal Media. It never ceases to amaze (and amuse) me.

Yesterday morning, The Today Show made a surprise live broadcast from Iraq with their leading Liberal, Matt Lauer - who showed the comfortable and all-too-familiar ignorance of his profession while interviewing a soldier in-country. Although the topic of the interview was supposed to be an upcoming "teddy-bear drop" for the Iraqi children, Matt decided to get cute.

Mr. Lauer, in an interview with Captain Sherman Powell, seemed to anticipate very different answers from the young officer when he asked his leading questions…

Musing

Kelo v. New London

Looks like Kelo v. New London may have finally lit a fire under some heretofore immovable bottoms and property rights may become a serious issue in the upcoming election.

MuD&PHuD

Shoot To Kill In London

I've been meaning to get to this since I heard about the new information that has come to light in the case of Jean Charles de Menezes, who was shot and killed by London police. It would seem that the powers-that-be in London decided to make the unforgivable mistake of covering up the truth. The thing of it is that the truth has a way of making its way to the light, and when it does those involved in the cover-up should not be forgiven (a la Richard Nixon).

spinbadz own

Grayladystan loserspeak

Behold the Republican president as seen through smug hallucinating eyes in the Willywonka chocolateworld that is modern Grayladystan.

These are the same people who loudly and endlessly opposed Bush's election, then his tax deductions, his Kyoto perception, his interventions, his road map, his re-election and all that was and is germane to his foreign policy and very governance.

Who poked fun at his intellect, and knives at his motives, his backers, his every move. All the while failing to raise anything like the same level of hyperbolic malice against random baby- and mother-slaying, atavistic religious tyranny, neanderthal female subjugation, and rank bigotry and chauvinism (except to the extent that it is Bush's fault that such threats hover over Iraq).

Don't Let Me Stop You

Another Manhole Fire

In Boston on the bus from the hotel to the train station the driver
had the radio playing. The newscaster said, "... and there's another
manhole fire in the North End." This struck us as peculiar. We'd
never heard of a manhole fire before, but apparently in Boston
they're an everyday thing, as common as threatening messages from
al-Qaeda.

Homespun Bloggers Radio, Program #8, released!

2005-08-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

It's time for another edition of Homespun Bloggers Radio. Listen in to hear three of our Homespun Bloggers make their voices heard.

Bob James, of the blog CrosSwords, suggests that a little perspective is in order for folks who are criticizing the delay in creating a new Iraqi Constitution.
Doug Payton, of Considerettes, hits the talk radio show circuit (i.e. he calls in to a couple of shows and has the audio).
Andrew Ian Dodge of Dodgeblogium notes that Tony Blair is deporting jihadists and taking names, and British bloggers are holding folks' feet to the fire.

Click here to listen or on the "Homespun Bloggers Radio" button to the right. The current audio feed is a loop of shows #7 & #8. Also, you can click here to download a high-quality version of the show. (Scroll down on the right side to download previous shows.) The 3 previous shows can also be heard by clicking here or on "Previous Show(s)" beneath the HBR button.

Homespun Bloggers: If you're interested in participating, E-mail me at "frodo at thepaytons dot org". It's open to all members. All you need is a PC and a microphone!

Visitors: If you'd like to get on the air with HBR, just join our band of bloggers and you're eligible. (And immediately getting over 200 links to your own blog ain't so bad either!)

2 3 4 New Bloggers

2005-08-16T12:57:00.000-04:00

SkyMonkie
Buzzurro
MassHypocrisy
"Duh" Magazine

Best Of Homespun Bloggers August 14th, 2005

2005-08-15T06:53:00.000-04:00

Righting America

"Able Danger" - Liberal Silence is Deafening

Ever notice how Liberals (and extreme Conservatives, to be fair) CLAM UP when there is a story that derails much of their past rhetoric? Enter the revelations of a little known military intelligence unit, "Able Danger."

If you are a Liberal reading this for the first time here, I am not surprised. It turns out that the Clinton administration, the FBI and the Pentagon all chose NOT to listen to information that was being presented to them, by this military intel unit, that included the names of at least FOUR 9-11 HIJACKERS - including Mohamed Atta.

Musing

Super Sized Lie reprised

A little while back, I posted a note about Morgan Spurlockÿs purposefully misleading screed against McDonalds, ´Super Size Me´. The short and sweet version was that Spurlock massively ramped up the number of calories that he ingested - to approximately 5,000 each day and then purposefully limited his physical activity. Not surprisingly, Spurlock gained weight.

I am reprising the story here, however, because another person has recently engaged in a McDonalds only diet and came up with significantly different results.

spinbadz own

The noughties oil shock

Japanese who are old enough to remember sometimes refer, with disquiet, to the "oil shock" of the '70s. The impact of that event there may have been much more profound than it was in other first world countries.

The flowering in Japan of nuclear power stations, it's go-lightly approach in diplomatic relations with OPEC, the fortune spent on obtaining coal, the societal attention to energy conservation - all these things have a range of possible explanations. The residual oil shock mentality in a country of limited mineral resources can be argued to be a pervasive driver.

Are we in the west currently going through another oil shock? Can we learn from Japan in dealing with it?

MuD&PHuD

Jersey: Worker's Paradise

Amazing:

Court overturns ruling allowing ship's captain to carry a gun

A state appeals court has reversed a ruling by a Warren County judge that allowed a sea captain to carry a gun while guiding ships along the New Jersey coast.
[...]
But the New Jersey Superior Court's appellate division found that the judge erred when he determined that Atanasio met the "justifiable need" requirement to carry a concealed firearm. The appeals court noted that apprehension by people who work around potential terrorist targets is not enough to allow them to carry a firearm.

Pattishub

On Cindy Sheehan and Sir Winston Churchill

Cindy Sheehan claims that she wants the troops brought home now so that no other mothers must suffer as she has. On this I have two comments...

2 3 4 5 New Bloggers

2005-08-09T09:04:00.000-04:00

Dr. Fat Tony's
Agent Sillyboots
The Gun-Toting Liberal
legal redux
David's Right Way of Thinking

Best Of Homespun Bloggers August 7th, 2005

2005-08-08T07:37:00.000-04:00

Musing

Steve Benson, CAIR and the 1st Amendment

For those who missed it, Steve Benson (an Arizona Republic political cartoonist) published a cartoon recently that has captured the attention of local Muslim activists ... To put it simply, the claim that the cartoon was a direct attack on Muslims or their places of worship was outrageous ... Muslim voices (whether moderate or fundamentalist) have not been silenced by Bensonÿs cartoon, to claim otherwise is an attempt to remove freedoms from Benson that they are claiming to possess. Once again, you cannot claim a right to infringe on a right - freedoms and rights are generic; they apply to everyone, equally. While they may not like Bensonÿs representation of their reaction to the terrorist activities of some Muslims, American Muslims need to remember that in America people have a right to say things, even if they donÿt like them.

We donÿt operate under Sharia law here and noone who appreciates the 1st Amendment is going to outlaw speech whether it is in favor of, or against, Allah/Mohammed/Islam.

spinbadz own

Galloway's latest treason

Rodents like London mayor Livingstone and Galloway, he more so than Livingstone, are carriers of the decay that incubates British-born and based terrorists, and of the malady that forces London subway commuters to question the capacity of their own protectorate to simply tide them to work and play without being slaughtered in and on their own tracks.

Galloway has offered himself as a symbol, and must burn as such.

The 9/11 carnage was symbolism via television, as are the threatening video tapes by angry men in black turbans, the turban colour itself symbolising a man at war.

The British commuter of August, 2005, she with her cane, he with his toddler and Harry Potter story book, are only too aware that life-snuffing immolation at the altar of Salafist symbolism may be an instant away.

So when a representative of one's own troops and people stands before them and the enemy cheering on the latter and denigrating the former, let's not pretend this not to be a dangerous symbol, maliciously crafted in a time of war.

Homespun Blogger Symposium XXXI

2005-08-06T09:43:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the late post, but yesterday just got away from me. I guess I should be playing far less "Doom 3" these days...but it's just so addictive.

In any event, I was at a loss for a topic this week, but I think I've finally come up with one. Hopefully you'll agree that it's a good one to discuss.

Back in June, you probably heard about a story from Camden, NJ where three young boys were found dead in the trunk of a Toyota after having gone missing. Here's a link to an updated story that should provide you enough background to formulate an opinion on this story. 1010 WINS New York's All News Station...

This story not only discusses the incident, but the legal actions that one of the dead boy's parents intend to follow through with. Here are some questions for you out there in the blogosphere...

1. Who is ultimately responsible for the loss of these three children?

2. Do you believe that the police were at all responsible for not finding the children in time? (It's hinted that on of the parents has decided to sue the City of Camden New Jersey)

3. Do you believe that auto manufacturers are responsible for providing additional safety features that would prevent this type of tragedy in the future? (They've also been named as potential litigants in this case.)

4. Why do you think that if this parent feels so strongly about going after the "wrongdoers" in this case, why doesn't he try to sue the parents of the other children lost in the incident?

As always, please feel free to use as many or as few words to respond.

See you on the high ground.

MajorDad1984

The Respondents

Cursed by a Classical Education

Cross Blogging

Dane Bramage

2 4 New Bloggers

2005-08-01T08:16:00.000-04:00

Tracy and Matt's Blog
Pat'sRick Says
PebblePie
GENERATION X

Best Of Homespun Bloggers July 31th, 2005

2005-08-01T07:17:00.000-04:00

The Redhunter

A Line in the Sand

This past Thursday evening I was honored to host at my home Chris Missick, author of the A Line in the Sand blog, and two of his friends; Kyle Rodgers and Ryan Albaugh. Ryan served with Chris in Iraq, while Kyle is acting as videographer and technical advisor (they're live-blogging the tour, as well as recording much of it).

Chris served in Iraq from March 2004-March 2005 as part of 319th Signal Battalion. While in-theater, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant, and was the "2004 Soldier of the Year". Now in the reserves, he starts law school next month.

MuD&PHuD

Good News In New London

It looks like the NLDC has seen the light...or at least bowed to public pressure:

New London — The president of the New London Development Corp. said Monday the agency will bow to the wishes of the state and allow houses in the Fort Trumbull neighborhood to stand while the legislature considers changing state law to limit the power of eminent domain.

Of course, it's also possible that they have 'decided' to hold back because of the Petition for Reconsideration filed by the IJ which, I believe, precludes any action until it has been dealt with on February 22.

Blog d'Elisson

Panem et Circenses

“The people who have conquered the world have only two interests – bread and circuses” - /Decimus Junius Juvenalis/

Feed ’em so they don’t starve, and keep ’em entertained...and you won’t have to worry about public unrest. It was true in Roman times, and it’s at least as valid today.

Cursed by a Classical Education

Raising the Age Bar for Military Recruiting
Excerpt: The Pentagon is working hard to meet the needs for our armed forces globally, now advocating raising the maximum enlistment age to 42. Take a look at what MajorDad1984 has to say on this important topic...

Don't Let Me Stop You

Hidden Eminent Domain Abuse

The Omaha World Herald reports that the University of Nebraska Foundation is reassuring people that it doesn't plan to use eminent domain. Thanks to the recent, appalling SCOTUS decision in Kelo v New London legalizing property theft through eminent domain, everyone knows the bar is set low now.

There's more than one way to skin a cat, so the developers are just "mentioning" the possibility that eminent domain might be used in the future. Several owners perceived the implicit threat and complained...

Musing

Cause for pause

Here’s a good reason to wait a little bit before swallowing the findings in the ‘latest’ research.

When reading the medical news, you might want to start asking for a second opinion. A report in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that it is not unusual for medical studies to contradict one another:
16% of highly-cited original clinical studies were contradicted by subsequent ones, and another 16% were shown by later trials to have overstated results...

Wasn’t it the JAMA that was publishing all of the anti-gun studies?

Hmmmmmm!

Homespun Blogger Symposium XXX

2005-07-29T18:11:00.000-04:00

Woo Hoo! Back to easier to figure out roman numerals!

First, let me apologize for the lack of a post last week. I was out in Virginia finishing up some "book learning" at the Army's Management Staff College at Fortress Belvoir, just outside our nation's capitol. Great week! Highlight? Besides walking across the stage and picking up the equivalent of 15 graduate level credits...was a visit to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Accompanied by some very knowledgable guides from the Staff College, I finally got to tromp the ground I'd spent so much time studying 20+ years ago. Better late than never! Talk about REAL MEN!!! Those guys were tough!

Back to the topic at hand...

Today, President Bush is expected to sign the Central American Free Trade Agreement. How do you feel about it and why?

Today on the Rush Limbaugh Show, Dr. Walter Williams entertained a number of callers that were dead set against it...how about you?

See you on the high ground! It's good to be back in Texas!

MajorDad1984

The Contributors
MajorDad1984
Cross Blogging

2 3 4 New Bloggers

2005-07-25T09:20:00.000-04:00

I'm here, so I blog
Myopic Zeal
nygirl
Treasures of Darkness

Best Of Homespun Bloggers July 17th & 24th

2005-07-24T22:32:00.000-04:00

Dr. Hartline

Conservative Rebellion

Are young people becoming more conservative? I once heard someone say
that my generation has an advantage over those in the 60s, because so
much of what is now the establishment is liberal (especially in the
Ivory Tower), "defending virtue today has all the exhilaration of
vice."

GrannyTiger's Reality Check

New HRT Study: No Rest for the Menopausal

In a new study coming out in the July 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, we're being told that menopause symptoms can rebound after stopping hormone replacement therapy. Well, duh. I could have told them that. Cold turkey equals hot flashes, with a vengeance...

MuD&PHuD

More Eminent Domain Non-Action

I'll summarize: Democrats want to talk, study and generally delay. Republicans want to act.

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Democratic leaders of the General Assembly on Monday urged municipal leaders not to use their eminent domain powers until the legislature has time to consider changing the state's laws on seizing property.

Pattishub

Muslims Turning On Bin Laden - Or: We're Winning

The lie is so common that the media seems to report it as a matter of fact. "The War On Terror is causing more terrorism..." Now there is new evidence that the liberals are lying.

Considerettes

Counting the cost

Has the Iraq war been worth the cost? Rep. Diane Watson, a California
Democrat, adds it up and finds us wanting. However, she's missing (and
ignoring) a host of positive developments in the credit column.

The Redhunter

Shocked, Shocked!

So Tony Blair is shocked, shocked! that the London terrorists were indiginous and did not come into the country especially for that purpose, as did the 9/11 hijackers:

Tony Blair said it is "shocking" that the four suspected London suicide bombers are believed to be home-grown terrorists.

Unbelieveable. Anyone who has followed events in the UK knows that the Islamists are tolerated there, all in the name of "tolerance" and "multiculturalism."

Cursed by a Classical Education

MajorBaby and OPERATION GLAMOUR SHOT

Well folks, the MajorBaby is knocking on the door for her "Terrible Two's." As one of the gifts, the MajorFamily made a pilgrimage to the local mall to have some photos taken at our local Glamour Shots. It was a very informative trip to say the very least. However, let me elaborate...

Michael Fitch

Villainous Rove

The Lefties regularly make illogical leaps and bounds across chasms devoid of fact to put two things together that have nothing to do with each other. A few had the good sense to point out that, if appointed, Roberts will serve on the court for decades, while the Rove nonsense is a short term issue, so a SCOTUS nominee is just a shade more important. The response to this was usually, "We can walk and chew gum at the same time."...You people have been absolutely 100% wrong about everything, all the time, for all of history. That's your problem. You have a track record...

The Southern Conservative

On Harry Potter And Christian Parenting

It bothers me a little when I hear Christians voice the concern that Harry Potter has an evil effect on children. I try to take that concern seriously, and I suppose that it is a legitimate concern in certain instances. I insist, though, that Harry Potter could only influence a child negatively if the child is not benefiting from proper parenting. A child more influenced by Harry Potter than by his or her own parents has bigger and more immediate problems than Hogwarts.

Tom Tancredo is an Idiot

Representative Tom Tancredo is an idiot.

He is morally bankrupt, as is anyone who agrees with him that we should "take out" Mecca if the United States is struck by nuclear weapons planted by Islamic terrorists.

And if you can't figure it out from the title of the blog, I'm a conservative who is in favor of strong action in the War on Terror.

Don't Let Me Stop You

Abe the Gun Runner

On our return from vacation in France, alert Customs officials found contraband in our luggage: an illegal toy gun. Americans can rest easier knowing that the vigilance of our government has foiled another smuggling attempt.

MuD&PHuD

Like Rats In A Corner

Michael Cristofaro alerted me to this today.

The NLDC (New London Development Corporation) has, in the grand tradition of a cornered rat, decided to get nasty and fight back. They have decided that since they have lost resoundingly in the court of public opinion that they are going to try to personally destroy their main adversary, Susette Kelo.

Musing

Tibor Machan on terrorism

Tibor Machanÿs recent discussion of terrorism and terrorists is worth reading.

In this article, Machan quite rightly notes that Islamist terrorists are not victimized innocents, forced into retaliation against a vicious, bigoted, unfriendly world or the excesses and unwelcome involvement of the western world. They are uncivilized bullies, thugs and murderers, operating at the intellectual and emotional level of a small, irrational child. Furthermore, they are quite appropriately described as childish, uncivilized thugs, even if we provisionally accept their incorrect charges that their current situation is wholly the fault of some other country, government, or religion.

2 3 4 New Bloggers

2005-07-20T10:58:00.000-04:00

Stop The ACLU
Fiddle Dee Dee
GINASRANTINGS
Maka's Weblog

Homespun Blogger Symposium XXIX

2005-07-16T20:57:00.000-04:00

Hmmmm....this might be something of a follow-up to last week's question, but one I think we need to answer...go here and read the article, but believe what you read to formulate the answer. (I do not vouch for the author...and his sources. I'm interested in the discussion and thought that goes into your responses.

Al-Qaida nukes already in U.S.

Given that this information is true...remember, I'm not saying that it is, but for the purpose of this intellectual exercise, give it your best shot to imagine that it is.

What do we do about this potential threat not only to the United States, but to the global economy and the history of mankind?

See you on the high ground!

MajorDad1984

Cross Blogging
Michael Fitch
Dane Bramage

2 New Bloggers

2005-07-14T07:31:00.000-04:00

Dane Bramage
Notes and Meditations

Homespun Bloggers Best Of July 3rd and 10th, 2005

2005-07-10T15:11:00.000-04:00

[Ed. Note: This week's Best Of will contain submissions from both this and last week.]

Don't Let Me Stop You

Why Kelo Is So Hard to Swallow

If you read any of our previous posts on the Kelo v. New London case, you've probably noticed we feel strongly about it. Truth be told, this one really sticks in our craw in a way the other recent decisions haven't, even though we disagree with some of those, too. So why is that?

Musing

Abuse at Gitmo

You know the routine by now. Youÿve heard it a million times before. Youÿre barraged with stories of abuse at the US military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba on a daily basis.

Well now stories are coming out that appear to back the ideas that there is abuse going on there.

Senator Durbin, CNN, CBC, ABC, NBC, Howard Dean, and the rest of the far left, Michael Moore wing of the party, sit up and take note.

MuD&PHuD

House Makes A Move

The House has apparently decided to at least take some action to oppose the Kelo decision (via Tran Sient's Watch):

House Votes To Undercut High Court On Property
[...]
The House measure, which passed 231 to 189, would deny federal funds to any city or state project that used eminent domain to force people to sell their property to make way for a profit-making project such as a hotel or mall. Historically, eminent domain has been used mainly for public purposes such as highways or airports.

Cursed By a Classical Education

Military and Civilian Contractors Clash in Iraq

I think that a very large part of this problem is that we're asking civilians (both Department of Defense and contractors) to do the jobs traditionally left to the uniformed services. If there are 20,000 security contractors in Iraq, it seems that we could buy a "division" that could take care of that role, BUT we're having trouble just with the status quo of recruiting. If we're going to fall short of the 80,000 this year...things are only going to get worse next year.

The Redhunter

Static vs Dynamic Analysis: Why the Critics don't Get It

Once again we’re hearing all the things that we “should” have done in Iraq. Over the last two days I listened to General Barry McCaffrey and Senator Joe Biden on the radio and both of them excoriated the administration for not having followed their
oh-so-wise advice.

At least these two have our best interests at heart. I do truly believe that they want us to succeed in Iraq. Others, like Moveon.org, and, well, the entire
leadership of the Democratic Party, seem only to be concerned with scoring political points.

The first problem I have with Biden and McCaffrey is that they are engaged in static thinking.

Blog d'Elisson

Independence Day

I love a good fireworks show, though, and once the Annual Fourth of July Clambakes receded into distant memory, those became the sine qua non of a superb July 4 experience. I?ve seen a lot of good ones, including the one at the Mall in Washington D.C. on the Bicentennial, 29 years ago. There?s something hugely satisfying about feeling the concussive ?thud? of a good-sized aerial shell seconds after the fire-blossom has appeared in the sky.

But despite all of these wonderful experiences, Independence Day is always a bittersweet day for us at Chez Elisson ? for not all memories of July 4 have to do with picnics and swimming pools and fireworks...

The Southern Conservative

A Loaded Question, A Slanted A.N.S.W.E.R.

Ask yourself this question: If an American is patriotic and loves his country, is he more likely to be a liberal or a conservative? I know, it sounds like a loaded question, but stay with me here. I DO have a point. It’s not that conservatives have co-opted patriotism. It’s that, over the past 30 or so years, liberals have aligned themselves more and more with the angriest, bitterest, most passionately anti-American fringe groups out there. What started in the 60’s as a kind of relevant and important national introspection has devolved into the ugliest possible
self-hatred...

MuD&PHuD

Support For Stealing Property

Now, let me get to someone who has gone above and beyond the call and, in the process, nominated himself as the inaugural member of new group I call Enemies of the People (soon to be added to the sidebar). Who is the person drawing my ire? Senator William Finch (D). Why? See for yourself:

The Redhunter

Live Aid II

I cannot believe it.

When I wrote "Live Aid" below, it was in the usual morning hurry. I'd heard about Geldorf's comments on the radio yesterday, made a few notes, and then did some quick research this morning and wrote the post before hurrying off to work.

Then today I found out the details.

Homespun Blogger Symposium XXVIII

2005-07-08T22:23:00.000-04:00

Next week should be interesting...to see if I remember how to do the Roman numeral for 29.

And on to this week's question...

This week saw terrorism raise it's ugly head in London killing more than 50 people, wounding over 700.

Based on this recent attack...do you feel that we're winning, losing, or holding our own in fighting the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT)? (Hint: The answer may be none of the above.)

Our thoughts and prayers here at Homespun Bloggers go out to those that lost loved ones in the subways, on the bus, and those families supporting the GWOT with their sons and daughters in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world.

Sorry about the sports question last week. It's pretty obvious it wasn't that popular.

See you on the high ground!

MajorDad1984

Michael Fitch

The BlogFather

Cross Blogging

MajorDad1984

Dane Bramage

2 3 4 5 6 New Bloggers

2005-07-05T07:52:00.000-04:00

Tran Sient's Watch
The Kansas City Comix Scene
The Thomas Institute
Random Responses
All About Dave
Righting America

Homespun Bloggers Radio, Program #7, released!

2005-07-03T19:07:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's been a while, but HBR is back with some old and some new voices.

First, a tribute to Mike "Bunker Mulligan" Reed, an HBR contributor who passed away in June. We'll miss him very much. Juli from Dagney's Rant says it for all of us.
Bob James, a new contributor who write the blog CrosSwords, gives us an example of another country that is already misusing Eminent Domain.
Andrew Ian Dodge of Dodgeblogium brings the London report, about a Conservative Party that isn't acting all that conservative.
The founder of Homespun Bloggers and writer of MuD&PHuD, Tom Carroll, speak out against the Kelo decision with some concrete steps to take to protect your property.

To listen, click here or on the "Homespun Bloggers Radio" button to the right. The current audio feed is a loop of show #7. Also, you can click here to download a high-quality version of the show. (Scroll down on the right side to download previous shows.) The 3 previous shows can also be heard by clicking here or on "Previous Show(s)" beneath the HBR button.

Homespun Bloggers: If you're interested in participating, E-mail me at "frodo at thepaytons dot org". It's open to all members. All you need is a PC and a microphone!

Visitors: If you'd like to get on the air with HBR, just join our band of bloggers and you're eligible. (And immediately getting over 200 links to your own blog ain't so bad either!)

Homespun Blogger Symposium XXVII

2005-07-01T17:17:00.000-04:00

At the risk of alienating you non-sports fans, I'm going to bring up the recent controversy boiling over here in the Lone Star State.

By now, you've probably heard about the Texas Ranger's pitcher, Kenny Rogers (no, not crooning kind), pitched another fit in Arlington, Texas. Read about it in this FoxNews story here.

Okay...now for the symposium's question of the week:

Is the penalty imposed by Major League Baseball Commissioner, Bud Selig, appropriate for the infraction? If you didn't go the story, Kenny Rogers has been suspended for 20 games and fined $50,000.

Please address the problem with professional athletes seemingly to think that they are above the law and untouchable when it comes to their on and off field conduct.

Thanks...and have a great Fourth of July weekend. Be careful out there.

See you on the high ground!

MajorDad1984

2 New Bloggers

2005-06-29T07:04:00.000-04:00

Michael Fitch
Nanny's Rocking Chair

Life, Liberty and Property

2005-06-28T07:03:00.000-04:00

Eric has started a new project that he wanted to let you all know about. Check it out.

Life, Liberty and Property

What the heck is a Carnival of Liberty? Simple, like the many other carnivals around the blogosphere, this is the chance for anyone and everyone to get a post they have written promoted, linked to and talked about. The goal of this particular Carnival is very simple:

Promote blogging and thinking about liberty and freedom. How to advance the cause, where there are problems, what we can do, who’s saying what, historical trends and ideas, liberty in the news, and much more.

Best Of Homespun Bloggers June 26th, 2005

2005-06-26T18:06:00.000-04:00

MuD&PHuD

More On New London

Here's a Saturday morning update on some things people around the blogosphere have sent me.

First, let me thank Jeff Goldstein at Protein Wisdom for his support and the link to yesterday's post (and also a thank you goes out to Bill at INDC Journal for the link). If anyone out there is interested in keeping your own property when a wealthy developer wants it, please spread the word and help us help these victims of governmental hyperpower in New London, CT.

Musing

They have no idea!!

Despite $2 billion and counting in tax dollars and all the federal government and anti-gunnerÿs blustering about how important the Canadian firearms registry is to the safety of the country, they actually have no idea how tracing firearms helps make the country safer. As a recent Access to Information request by Saskatchewan MP, Garry Breitkreuz clearly showed, the Canadian Firearms Centre doesnÿt even keep records on that sort of thing.

THOUGHTS BY SEAWITCH

FOR SHAME SUPREME COURT

Thursday, June 23, 2005
FOR SHAME SUPREME COURT
Amendments to the Constitution
Article V.

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger, nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb: nor shall any person be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law: nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

The Supreme Court has wiped away one of the most basic rights of property owners in the US in its decision today to grant New London CT the right to take over private property and place into the hands of other private owners.

The Gitmo Investigation Fraud

So now the Democrats have decided that the most important thing to do in the War on Terror is to provide Al-Jazeera with more anti-American propaganda. As such, they've demanded an independent investigation to look into alleged abuses at Camp Delta at Guantanamo Bay, where we are holding several hundred terrorists.

In this post I'm going to deal with this latest Democrat diversion.

Pattishub

Is There A Bright Side to Durbin & Co.?

Conservatives rightly criticize liberal politicians like Dick Durbin, Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi, etc. etc. when they spout off against the American war effort and land themselves on Al-Jazeera...But, could their insane rantings be promoting democracy in the Middle East?

Considerettes

Fired for personal beliefs

If you write an essay on your own time with your own equipment and of your own thoughts, should your company be allowed to fire you if the essays conflicts with the company's values, even if you don't specify your connection to your company? The Allstate insurance company thinks so.

Homespun Blogger Symposium XXVI

2005-06-24T22:16:00.000-04:00

Sorry I'm a little late this week...but I'm back in El Paso welcoming 16 friends back from faraway lands like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait. They're now enjoying the finer things in life....like crisp clean sheets, floors with carpet, being able to walk to the shower with a towel around them and not body armor...just those little things that we all take for granted.

That having been said...it's time to take your pulse and see how you're feeling about the Global War on Terrorism or if you'd rather Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

Are we making any progress? Is this part of the war winnable? Should we "stay and fight" or "cut and run?"

See y'all on the high ground!

MajorDad1984

SeaWitch
MajorDad1984's Cursed by a Classical Education
CrosSwords

New Blogger

2005-06-23T15:40:00.000-04:00

The Left Handed Right

Best Of Homespun Bloggers June 19th, 2005

2005-06-19T21:53:00.000-04:00

Black Lace Mittens

Just got off the Subway....

...my friend and I decided to take the boys to the
Indiana Dunes for a picnic and day at the beach. We
stopped at a Subway store in Chesterton, Indiana to
grab some sandwiches. Oh, Jared, where were you when
we needed you?????

Collecting my Thoughts

"We're going back to the funeral home this morning to finish our "pre-need" plans. We've learned a lot through this process and talked about things that just never came up in 45 years of marriage. For instance, flat, markerless cemeteries that look like prairies with urns of plastic flowers have little appeal, but we both liked the mausoleum, something we'd never considered. Some areas we just never came to an agreement, so we've pledged, "I'll do what you want, if you'll do what I want." No amount of talking was going to budge either of us."

Blog d'Elisson

Breakfast

Acidman and Dax have been waxing poetic about a Great American Institution: the Southern Breakfast. As a Northerner-by-birth who has been happily transplanted to the South and who has lived everywhere from New York, New Joisey, Connecticut, Texas, and Georgia, I feel qualified to throw my own two cents’ worth in on the subject...

Texas Trifles

Mementos

Anyone who spends more than 5 minutes in our house becomes aware of my passion for old things. From sepia-toned ancestral family portraits hanging in the den to the 1910 Singer sewing machine in the entryway hall to the refinished dining room furniture purchased with Grandmother's first Social Security check, I feel a comfort, a link with the past.

MuD&PHuD

Regulate Everything!

...except murder clinics:

A Kansas City abortionist is out of business after investigators discovered a grisly house of horrors at his clinic – with fetuses kept in Styrofoam cups in his refrigerator and one employee accusing him of microwaving one and stirring it into his lunch.

The Redhunter

Back to Basics

With all this talk about Guantanamo Bay and Dick Durbin dominating the news, we need to get back to the basics of why we are fighting this war. I've heard several complaints from the left recently, and in this post I'm going to take them on.

3 4 New Bloggers

2005-06-18T13:52:00.000-04:00

The Prattling Pastor's Wife
Ravings of John C. A. Bambenek
BUREAUCRATIC DAYCARE
GrannyTiger's Reality Check

Homespun Blogger Symposium XXV

2005-06-17T17:32:00.000-04:00

Now that most kids are out school for the summer...I have to ask the following question:

With all things being equal, are schools today producing better, worse, or graduates of about the same quality as they did the day you graduated high school?

Please be sure to explain your answer AND let us know when you graduated from high school to give us a frame of reference.

See you on the high ground!

MajorDad1984

This week's responses:

MajorDad1984
Ruah
Cross Blogging
Dagney's Rant

New Blogger

2005-06-15T07:40:00.000-04:00

Coffee With CrankyBeach

Best Of Homespun Bloggers June 13th, 2005

2005-06-13T07:26:00.000-04:00

Collecting my Thoughts

1096 Raising Awareness--Darfur

"Save Darfur is a coalition of 129 organizations including Amnesty International and National Council of churches which tries to educate the public through ads, speeches, rallies, banners, yard signs, etc. Those two organizations alone would keep me from contributing, as awful as I think that tragedy is."

The Redhunter

I've Moved!

If you're reading this then you've found my new website. Thank you very much for visiting. I know I've been talking about this for a few weeks, and it took longer
than expected to set this up and migrate from blogger.

Don't Let Me Stop You

Remembering My Grandfather

On Memorial Day we visited the graves of my grandparents in Plattsmouth, Nebraska. A couple of years ago I wrote this essay about my Grandfather's effect on my life. He was born in 1875 and died in 1966, when I was 14. Obviously, the world he knew was very different from today.

Pattishub

Fixing The Wrong Problems

Liberal or conservative, the story in the above quoted article is heartbreaking. A 15 year old girl, desperate for love dating a man she describes as "incredibly sweet" and confesses to being "enamored by him." You can literally feel how this child was seeking love, romance, and acceptance. Instead she became a parent and suffered beatings.

As I said, liberal or conservative your heart must break. But if you are a liberal, you must accept a great deal of the blame.

MuD&PHuD

Interesting Definitions

A human being supposes an organism that will eventually die of natural causes. So, killing my friend is not really murder. Since he did not die of natural causes he was never actually a "human being".

Ok, so that's the best I could do and it is, quite literally, nonsense. So how is it that a "scientist" can make an equally ridiculous claim and not have someone laugh directly in his face?

ruah

Myth Busters R Us

Apparently, more people are starting to support government funding of embryonic stem cell research. I am sure that many of those people would be against it if the news media would print the truth instead of myths, so I thought I would try to do a little myth-busting.

THOUGHTS BY SEAWITCH

Suspicion about North Korea confirmed

I had long believed that North Korea's unwillingness to negoiate had more to do with them needing money than anything else. Kim Il Jong is waiting to be bribed like Clinton had done. New reports have come out that the people of North Korea face another food crisis.

New Blogger

2005-06-13T07:24:00.000-04:00

My Maple (Ridge) Blog

Homespun Symposium XXIV

2005-06-10T20:14:00.000-04:00

This week's been a slow week in the blogosphere at least for me as I've been contemplating the loss of one of our own Mike Reed aka Bunker Mulligan.

In honor of Mike, who was laid to rest today in his native Texas soil, this week's symposium asks that you reflect on Bunker as you...a fellow blogger knew him, how did he make an impact in your life, and how did he play a part in your blog career?

There have been many touching tributes posted across golf, political, and military blogs this week addressing this, but I'd like us to post to our own sites...and I'll post the links here. I know that the family has been overwhelmingly positive about these kind words about their husband and father. This can also be something to share with the generations to come...so that they can know what a great man their grandfather, greatgrandfather, and beyond was.

Mike Reed aka Bunker Mulligan
Posted by Hello

Proud to have known Mike...on the high ground.

MajorDad1984

Symposium Responses

MajorDad1984
Dagney's Rant
CrosSwords

Michael "Bunker Mulligan" Reed, 1953-2005

2005-06-10T07:29:00.000-04:00

I would like to off my condolences, on behalf of the Homespun Bloggers, to the Reed family for the loss of a husband, father and grandfather. Michael "Bunker Mulligan" Reed will be missed in the blogosphere and, I have no doubt, in the 'real' world as well.

Bunker will be laid to rest today at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. The Reed family has asked that anyone who would like to pay their respects make a donation to Homes For Our Troops in lieu of sending flowers.

Bunker, you will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers go with you and your family.

Godspeed.

5 6 7 8 New Bloggers

2005-06-10T07:26:00.000-04:00

Civitatensis
The Examined Life
Little Bit Tired, Little Bit Worn
Rempelia Prime
Undiscovered Country
Mean Ol' Meany
This Space For Rent
My Wide Blue Seas

Be Thou At Peace Bunker Mulligan

2005-06-05T09:36:00.000-04:00

I know that I might be overstepping my bounds as the "Symposium Guy" but I felt the need to do this.

Homespun Bloggers and the blogosphere lost a great blogger, a leader, and a friend on Friday. Bunker Mulligan passed away on Friday morning of a very sudden and unexpected heart attack.

Mike Reed, will certainly be missed here...but I know that he'll continue to do well where he is now. He'll crank out posts several times a day, in between his time on the real "championship" golf courses "up there."

Hit them long and straight my friend! Save me a seat at the 19th hole! While I hope I can put off our first face to face meeting for another 50 years, since we didn't get that done here on earth, I'll be looking forward to seeing you then.

May God bless you and your family.

Sadly from the high ground.

MajorDad1984

Homespun Blogger Symposium XXIII

2005-06-03T20:55:00.000-04:00

Well folks...that last topic didn't go over too well, so let's try something less contentious.

The case has gone to the jury in Santa Maria, CA in the Michael Jackson "Trial of the Century."

What's the verdict going to be? And why?

Better hurry on this one folks, I don't think it's going to be a terribly long deliberation, but I've been wrong before.

As my blog, Cursed by a Classical Education, has a "no Michael Jackson all the time" policy, I'll be sitting this one out too! I apologize for not chiming in on the BRAC issues, but since my "home" installation lost 190 slots, I thought it best not to rub salt in their wounds.

See you on the high ground!

MajorDad1984

This week's responses are linked below:

CrosSwords