tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16209102892415976992024-02-18T20:00:08.716-06:00The GrumpamooseThe Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-28423836871234418922015-05-07T10:05:00.001-05:002015-05-07T10:05:22.271-05:00<br />
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Today will be interesting. At least for political junkies who somehow have been sucked in by <a href="http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/418036/its-all-quiet-electoral-front-or-it-charles-c-w-cooke">Charles CW Cooke's</a> descriptions on the British elections today.<br />
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What makes it intriquing is the very likely possibility of the SNP taking all of the seats from what historically has been the Labour Party's strongest region in Scotland. While I do not think that will be enough to erode enough of Labour's vote to give the majority to Cameron's Tories, I am interested in observing what happens.<br />
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Of particular interest will be finding out how much , if any, falloff the Liberal Democrats have as a consequence of their coalition with the Conservative Party, and if Nick Clegg manages to hold his seat. Also will Nigel Farage manage to win in South Thanet, or will the UKIP prove to be a passing fad.<br />
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<br />The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-23147061114863633052011-04-03T20:24:00.003-05:002011-04-03T20:50:48.744-05:00Maybe I should burn a South Carolina flag....Senator Graham, I know you are not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but what part of "Congress shall make no law ...abridging the freedom of speech...." do you not understand???<br /><br />Here is the esteemed senior Senator from South Carolina regarding pastor Turner's Koran burning stunt "<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Y</span>ou know I wish we could find some way to-- to-- to hold people accountable. Free speech is a great idea but we’re in a war. During World War II, you had limits on what you could say if it would inspire the enemy. So burning a Koran is a terrible thing. But it doesn’t justify killing someone. Burning a bible would be a terrible thing but it doesn’t justify murder. But having said that, any time we can push back here in America against actions like this that put our troops at risk we ought to do it. So I look forward to working with Senator Kerry and Reid and others to condemn this, condemn violence all over the world based in the name of religion."<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">i<br /></span><br />I personally think Terry Jones was foolishly and irredeemably provocative with this stunt. As someone who is looking on from afar, considering I do not even know anyone who knows Terry Jones, given the deliberate poke in the eye nature of what he did, I would question his temperament and fitness to hold the office of Pastor. Frankly given what little I know about the man, I would say he is about as qualified for the office of Pastor as Fred Phelps is, which is to say about as qualified as Arnold Schwarzenegger is for US President. But that is my First Amendment protected speech. Given that I have never been an official of the US Government, and have more desire to swallow sulfuric acid than ever be an official of the US Government, my expression has as much impact on Terry Jones' Constitutional rights as a gnat. However, neither Senator Graham, Senator Dingy Harry, nor any other official of the US Government have that luxury. If any Congressional follow through actually occurs, whether hearings or God forbid an actual legislative act, I hope Terry Jones tells the good senators on live CSPAN cameras where they can stick it.The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-38725028806474742962010-03-27T08:37:00.006-05:002010-03-27T10:10:59.454-05:00Who is the short-sighted and uninfomed one?I recently came across a note on Facebook from a long time college acquaintance. In the note, h expressed that he was happy Obamacare had passed. This person is one of these extremely nice and considerate people who do not have a critical bone in their body, and cannot and will not see the devil in the details until they are hoisted on Satan's fork. And even then they wonder why there is a farm implement impaling them. Knowing this, I was sure that he had not given any thought to the implications or details of what he was supporting. So, here is the reply I sent to him:<br /><br />"If you believe Healthcare is a right, sir, I would like to remind you that I also have rights. Your rights stop where mine start, and since healthcare is not free, it has to be paid for somehow. I have a right to enjoy the fruits of my labors, as do you. However Obama's plan will be taking taking taxes from me to pay for healthcare for you, so essentially what you are advocating is that you should have a claim on the fruits of other people's labors, so that you can have subsidized health insurance. This is known as slavery, this idea that you will enjoy the fruits of other people's labor...."<br /><br />Now I will admit that was probably quite a bit confrontational. And given the tone, I can not exactly say I am suprised at the response I received:<br /><br />"I am Brad's wife and I am responding to you instead of Brad because he is busy working on his dissertation and struggling to support our family in spite of his health issues. I am afraid that your lack of support for the bill is short-sighted and uninformed. However, you are entitled to your opinion as we are to ours."<br /><br />Short-sighted and uninformed? Moi? Mrs Brad, may I direct your attention to this little nuggets, and then tell me who is the short-sighted and and uninformed one?<br /><br />1) All through this debate, we were told that 14000, 0r 20,000, or 25,000 people die each year from lack of health insurance. However, this plan will not fully go into effect until 2014. So apparently Mrs Brad is fine if another 56,000, or 80,000, or 100, 000 people die between now and then from lack of health insurance.<br /><br />2) From the <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article%3C/a%3E/ALeqM5gmzNv5LYXOA6UM_XmUHdOe9augtQD9ELVL3G1">AP "Companies say health care costs hard to swallow" </a>So far, Deere and Co, Caterpillar, Valero, and AT&T have said they will be writing off millions and a billion in AT&T's case due to higher costs this law will impose. I cannot imagine that none of these businesses will not try to recover these costs in higher prices to their customers, and/or laying workers off. So apparently Mrs Brad wants her surviving neighbors to lose their jobs and have their phone bills to go up huh?<br /><br />3) From the same article "Consumers Energy, a Michigan gas and electric company with 2.9 million customers, said it will not take a big first-quarter charge because, like most utility companies, it can try to recover the added costs from its customers through rate hikes." So Mrs Brad also wants her neighbors in Michigan that are still around and still have jobs to pay higher gas and electric bills too.<br /><br />4) If anyone buys vitamins, adult incontinence products, women’s products,OTC remedies, or anything else sold over the counter that you normally buy with your HSA or Flex Spending account, buy them before 7/1/10. After 7/1/10 there will be essentially a 40% tax imposed on these products, and, no HSA spending on these items will be tax deductible after 7/1/10.<br />ObamaCare "restricts individuals with these pre-tax accounts to buying a “medicine or drug only if such medicine or drug is a prescribed one. And ironically, this tax that will raise health care costs substantially by creating incentives for the use of more expensive prescription drugs even when OTC drugs are just as safe and effective." Source is <a href="http://biggovernment.com/jberlau/2010/03/25/seeing-red-at-reconciliation-over-medicine-cabinet-tax/">here</a>. So, Mrs Brad also wants her still employed neighbors to pay more for Nyquil, or to pay much more for a prescription.<br /><br />There are undoubtedly more examples, and as our Dear Speaker Nurse Nancy said, they will be trickling out over the next few weeks as more of the now law is actually read<br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KoE1R-xH5To&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KoE1R-xH5To&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed><a class="yavccnuxerlslvwbkwst" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/KoE1R-xH5To&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></a></object><br /><br />So I ask again, who is the short-sighted and uninformed one?The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-14188111236311422922010-01-17T14:47:00.005-06:002010-01-17T15:15:47.711-06:00A Deitrich Bonhoeffer for our generationI have long admired the courage of Deitrich Bonhoeffer in his resistance to the Nazi Germany regime and giving his life as a martyr. Bonhoeffer was safe in England and America in the 1930's and it would have been easy for him to stay, while Hitler and the National Socialist agenda attemped to destroy the Church in Germany by neutering it. Yet Bonhoeffer returned to Germany, all the while knowing that his return may cost him his life, and indeed it did.<br /><br />I came across a story today about another young man who was living in relative safety, and yet chose to go into a place knowing such a journey may also cost him his life. Instead of a German pastor, this time it is a Korean American, named Robert Park. On Christmas Day 2009, Robert crossed the border between China and North Korea, where he has disappeared. When asked why he was doing so, in a <a href="http://blogs.reuters.com/global/2009/12/30/interview-with-north-korea-border-crosser-robert-park/">Reuter's interview</a>, Park said:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">"The North Korean human rights crisis by murder rate is the worst in the world. An estimated 1,000 people a day die by starvation and starvation is a murder case. North Korea has been sent more food aid than any nation in the world but the food has not gone to the people who need it. So this is murder.But not only that, there are concentration camps in North Korea that are of the same brutality as in Nazi Germany. Responsible governments are completely silent about the issue. The United States, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea have a huge responsibility to speak out about this because all these nations played a role the arbitrary division of the Koreas, where not a single Korean was consulted. Yet the lives of these people are of no issue to these governments. That is a crime. It is a huge crime."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />Later in the interview, Park was asked "</span></span><strong style="font-weight: normal;">how can you change this? You are going in well aware of the dangers<br /><br />His response:<br />"</strong><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >My demand is that I do not want to be released. I don’t want President Obama to come and pay to get me out. But I want the North Korean people to be free. Until the concentration camps are liberated, I do not want to come out. If I have to die with them, I will. I am Christian and it says in the Bible that we must love the lost. We must love the poor and the needy. We must love them more than ourselves. These innocent men, women and children, as Christians, we need to take the cross for them. The cross means that we sacrifice our lives for the redemption of others.. I am going in for the sake of the lives of the North Korean people. And if he kills me, in a sense, I realize this is better. Then the governments of the world will become more prone to say something, and more embarrassed and more forced to make a statement. </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">"</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">May God grant peace to Robert Park. I hope he can survive and live to see his desire for the North Koreans to know freedom. However knowing the vile evil of the Kim Jong-Il regime, I very much doubt that he will. So my prayer for him echoes what Bishop Hugh Latimer said to Nicholas Ridley - </span></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >Be of good comfort, Master Park and play the man; You may this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in North Korea, I trust shall never be put out.</span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span> </div>The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-91739042798114419752008-10-28T12:04:00.005-05:002008-10-28T13:35:13.059-05:00If you vote for Obama, you are my enemy and an enemy of freedomFor weeks now I have resisted any postings, because I was not sure I could keep quiet on what I am about to write. But I cannot continue to remain silent.<br /><br />I am torn as to who I am going to vote for next week. I have been contemplating voting for no candidate and leaving the Presidential space unchecked, or checking Bob Barr, or McCain, or Nader, or writing my dad's name in. But under no circumstances will I ever vote for Barack Obama. Obama is not to be trusted at all.<br /><br /><ul><li>He told both Hillary Clinton and John McCain that he would accept public financing. McCain has done so. Obama has not. He lied</li></ul><ul><li>He has claimed that his vote in Illinois against the Born Alive Infant protection act was because there were already laws in Illinois protecting the right to life for abortion survivors. There were no such laws at the time. He lied.</li></ul><ul><li>He has said that he will not raise taxes on anyone making under $250,000. He has also gone on record that he will allow the tax cuts in 2001 and 2003 to expire as scheduled in 2010. Go to the IRS tax tables for 2000 and 2002, and compare your taxes from 2007 to what you would have paid in 2000. Your taxes are less now than they will be come 2010. Once again, he lied.</li></ul><ul><li>He said the tax increase threshold is $250,000. Today in the noted Right wing paper, the New York Times, noted ultraconservative columnist Paul Krugman writes "Mr. Obama proposes raising rates on only the top two income tax brackets — and the second-highest bracket for a head of household starts at an income, after deductions, of $182,400 a year." So in this case, either Krugman is lying, or Obama is. My bet is on Obama as the liar here</li></ul><ul><li>Yesterday during an interview with WNEP TV in Pennsylvania, Obama's Vice presidential nominee, Joe Biden, said, and I quote "What we’re saying is that $87 billion tax break doesn’t need to go to people making an average of 1.4 million, it should go like it used to. It should go to middle class people — people making under $150,000 a year." Lat time I checked $150,000.00 is less than $250, 000.00. So yet again, Obama is lying.</li></ul><br />Barack Obama is not only a liar, he is an enemy of freedom. The ability to keep and use the monetary fruits of our labor is one of the clearest measures of our freedom. With Obama's many statements on his tax policy, he shows that he is more than willing to take more and more of this freedom from Americans. And his lies, particularly about the tax thresholds, show that he will take this freedom from many more Americans than those he claims that he will limit his tax increases to.<br />Furthermore Obama's intention to levy significant tax increases on "wealthy corporations and oil companies" will result in corresponding increases in the costs of the goods and services these "wealthy corporations" provide. Not only will Obama take more of your money and thereby limit your freedom directly through personal income tax increases, he will also take money from Americans indirectly by increasing what we pay for such things as clothes, food, gasoline, cars, electronic equipment, and so on.<br /><br />Obama further shows he is an enemy of freedem with his intention to replace retiring federal judges with nominees that have a judicial philosophy similar to his. He he wants judges who "got the heart, the empathy, to recognize what it's like to be a young teenage mom. The empathy to understand what it's like to be poor, or African-American, or gay, or disabled, or old. And that's the criteria by which I'm going to be selecting my judges." In other words, Obama wants judges that will ignore what the law actually says, and that will instead make their rulings based on what policy that particular judge wants implemented in our society. Constitution be damned, the opinions and desires of the American citizenry be damned, representative lawmakers be damned. Obama wants the courts that will implement rule by robed dictators, rather than the will of the people, with no accountability, no vote, and no chance of erasing what these judges rule.<br /><br />Obama finally shows himself as an enemy of freedom with his support for "Card Check" union organizing. He wants to take the rights of workers to vote privately and secretly on the question of unionization, in favor of a public vote, with all the potential for fraud, and threatening pressure on dissenting workers that this public vote will represent. Furthermore, the legislation that Obama supports will take away the freedom of union dissenters to not have their required union dues go to support causes the worker opposes, a freedom that is currently enjoyed (although difficult to enforce).<br /><br />I could go on and on, but I would rather stop here. I will conclude though with this : if you support Obama, you are just as much an enemy of freedom as he is. And should he win, you will also be my enemy.The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-89838006683339943152008-05-26T11:21:00.006-05:002008-05-27T20:09:09.823-05:00Memorial Day Musical MondayWhen one considers the real purpose of the day, rather than a day to go to the lake and have a cookout, there is something poignant about a Memorial Day when our military forces are actively deployed in a war. Particularly when the war in question that has so divided the country as the current one.<br /><br />However I do not want to besmirch the sacrifices and memory of those who have given their last full measure of devotion by a political debate - not today anyway. I am reminded of another time when the country was in a divisive war, and just as today, many people would have rather given up the fight rather than pursue victory. And in honor of those who paid that cost in blood, toil, and despair, not only in the war in question, but in all wars, I invite you to ponder the price the American soldier has paid so that we could do whatever we will do today.<br /><br /><a style="left: 0px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-004104806227277169 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/931VnVBB4ok&hl=en"></a><a style="left: 0px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-004104806227277169 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/931VnVBB4ok&hl=en"></a><a style="left: 0px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-004104806227277169 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/931VnVBB4ok&hl=en"></a><a style="left: 0px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-041702369094496794 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/931VnVBB4ok&hl=en"></a><a style="left: 0px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-041702369094496794 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/931VnVBB4ok&hl=en"></a><a style="left: 0px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-041702369094496794 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/931VnVBB4ok&hl=en"></a><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/931VnVBB4ok&hl=en"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/931VnVBB4ok&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Pandora was not able to find other songs similar to Tenting Tonight, so I will add soldiers songs from other American wars<br />1 <a href="http://www.mcgath.com/freelyr.html#cornwallis">Cornwallis Country Dance</a> - American Revolution. Sung to the tune of "Yankee Doodle"<br />2 <a href="http://www.contemplator.com/america/hunter.html">The Hunters of Kentucky</a> - War of 1812<br />3 <a href="http://www.contemplator.com/america/bonnieblue.html">Bonnie Blue Flag</a> - Song sung by the Confederate soldiers in Civil War<br />4 <a href="http://www.firstworldwar.com/audio/overthere.htm">Over There</a> - World War I<br />5 <a href="http://www.unithistories.com/units/264th%20Inf.Reg%20text1.asp">What Do You Do in the Infantry?</a> - World War II<br /><br /><br />PS 5/27 811 PM- I neglected to put the lyrics to Tenting Tonight - which can be found <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.contemplator.com/america/tenting.html">here</a>The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-25088063254075760412008-03-25T19:24:00.004-05:002008-04-20T23:16:27.778-05:00I have a better wife than I often realizeWhen I got married, almost 8 years ago now, a good friend of mine recommended I read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Five-Love-Languages-Heartfelt-Commitment/dp/1881273156">The Five Love Languages</a> by Gary <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Smalley</span>. While I never actually have got around to reading this book, I am somewhat familiar with the main premise, which is the ways that we express love to our significant other are often radically different, and what kinds of expressions that to me show love, do not always mean the same to her, and vice <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">versa</span>. This premise has been many times demonstrated in our marriage, and often arguments and hard feelings, at their core, can be linked to the radically different means in which Wife and I show love and affection for each other.<br /><br />For an example, - one of the best ways to show love is to work with me, to help me, in accomplishing the everyday, mundane yet necessary tasks. However Wife does not see this as love, and I all to readily tend to use this as a tool claiming that she really doesn't love me. This, of course, is a pointless argument. Yet time after time I tend to use it anyway, which over time likely has made her even less likely to understand how important it is to me to have her helping me<br /><br />Well, as the adage goes, it is better late than never. It occurred to me the other day that she is much more of a help to me than I acknowledge. And Indeed the manner at which she helps in this case is far far more valuable to me, and much much more of a lasting benefit to me, than if she helps me with loading and unloading the dishwasher. (which she certainly does, many times).<br /><br />I have a glitch in my personality that often causes me to either get irrationally pessimistic at the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">slightest</span> challenge, or irrationally giddy at the slightest blessing, and run down rabbit trails in my thinking. This is a flaw in that if I act on the line of thinking, in either direction, and follow the thought patterns to the logical conclusion, I will invariably make decisions that lead to very bad consequences. Where my wife helps me more than anything, is that in every case that I can recall, where I am either flying high like a kite, or as depressed as a 1929 Stockbroker, she will say something or call my bluff on something, or whatever, that brings me out of my fantasy, into reality.<br /><br />Every time she does this, every time I get angry and say something stupid, and every time when I take the time to actually process what she has said, I see that her words, and the wisdom behind them, are her showing me more love, and more help, than I realize at the time.<br /><br />And as the Proverb says, "Let her works earn her praise at the city gate." For truly she is a incredible, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">undeservable</span>, and all too often unacknowledged, help to meThe Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-13325668147716298092008-03-24T19:31:00.004-05:002010-01-17T15:22:41.777-06:00Special Easter Edition of Musical Monday<a style="left: 0px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-035464488107627257 visible" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/e1DfenKdgVk&hl=en"></a><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/e1DfenKdgVk&hl=en"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/e1DfenKdgVk&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />If you have never seen Messiah performed live, by a good choir and orchestra, the raw celebratory, indeed triumphant power of the final chorus Worthy is the Lamb, the orchestration and the words both, well, lets just say this video does not begin to do this song justice. And indeed since the core message of Easter is one of incredible triumph - triumph over death, triumph over despair, triumph over sin itself, I cannot think of a better piece for this weeks edition of Musical Monday.<br /><br />Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His blood.<br />To receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.<br />Blessing and honor and glory and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb.<br />Forever and ever, Amen.<br /><br />Unfortunately Pandora does not recognize this particular Chorus, I did get these 5 matches for the Messiah oratorio:<br />1 <a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/antonio+vivaldi+holiday/gloria+in+d+major">Gloria in D Major by Antonio Vivaldi</a><br />2 <a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/heinrich+schtz+holiday/christmas+oratorio+intermedium+2+angels+chrous">Christmas Oratorio, Angels Chorus by Heinrich Schutze</a><br />3 <a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/johann+sebastian+bach+holiday/christmas+oratario+break+forth">Christmas Oratorio, Break Forth, by Johann Sebastian Bach</a><br />4 <a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/cambridge+singers+holiday/in+dulci+jubilo">In Dulci Jubilo by The Cambridge Singers</a><br />5<a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/hector+berlioz+holiday/lenfance+du+christ+sheperds+farewell+to+holy+family"> L'enfance Du Christ, the Shepherds Farewell to the Holy Family by Hector Berlioz</a><br /><br />He is Risen. Alleluia!!The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-85549776008479405012008-03-17T20:26:00.003-05:002008-04-23T20:02:24.148-05:00St Patricks Musical DayOk - St Patricks Day should be easy, right? An Irish song of course. But ah, thats the rub you see - which song?<br /><br />So after looking at <a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1741649126541510301&q=rakes+of+mallow&total=20&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1">this one</a> and <a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8878685611884994419">that on</a><a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8878685611884994419">e</a>, I decided to go with this one here:<br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/E08QtpUQz5I&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/E08QtpUQz5I&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="left: 339px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-09111169920247756 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/8fP84z9nUcY&hl=en"></a><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8fP84z9nUcY&hl=en"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed style="display: none;" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8fP84z9nUcY&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Lyrics are<br /><a style="left: 339px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-09111169920247756 visible ontop" href="http://www.metrolyrics.com/scroller/scroller2.swf?lyricid=211785&border=2&bordert=80&bgfont=0xC0C0C0&bg=http://www.metrolyrics.com/scroller/bgpic/bluedisco.jpg&filter=0x000000&filtert=25&txt=0xFFFFFF&fontname=arial&fontsize=11&speed=2"></a><a style="left: 339px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-09111169920247756 visible ontop" href="http://www.metrolyrics.com/scroller/scroller2.swf?lyricid=211785&border=2&bordert=80&bgfont=0xC0C0C0&bg=http://www.metrolyrics.com/scroller/bgpic/bluedisco.jpg&filter=0x000000&filtert=25&txt=0xFFFFFF&fontname=arial&fontsize=11&speed=2"></a><embed src="http://www.metrolyrics.com/scroller/scroller2.swf?lyricid=211785&border=2&bordert=80&bgfont=0xC0C0C0&bg=http://www.metrolyrics.com/scroller/bgpic/bluedisco.jpg&filter=0x000000&filtert=25&txt=0xFFFFFF&fontname=arial&fontsize=11&speed=2" quality="high" name="scroll" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" align="middle" height="210" width="180"></embed><br /><a href="http://www.metrolyrics.com/i-know-my-love-lyrics-the-corrs.html" title="I Know My Love Lyrics">I Know My Love Lyrics</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">Pandora's top 5 are<br />1) <a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/walela/cherokee+rose">Cherokee Rose by Walela</a><br />2) <a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/vermillion+lies/i+should+fly">I Should Fly by Vermillion Lies</a><br />3) <a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/sofia+talvik+tallboys/beautiful+naked">Beautiful Naked by Sofia Talvik & the Tallboys</a><br />4) <a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/cosy+sheridan/iphigenia">Iphigenia by Cosy Sheridan</a><br />5) <a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/cindy+lee+berryhill/plenty+enough">Plenty Enough by Cindy Lee Berryhill</a><br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></div><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/walela/cherokee+rose"></a></div></div>The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-16814913033826202332008-03-10T21:31:00.002-05:002008-03-10T21:53:42.616-05:00And Trade with the ChiComms benefits the US how again?I have long been troubled at times, with various levels of concern, about the US increasing dependence on China for manufactured goods. I can understand the appeal of Chinese made goods, namely the low price, but what I fail to get is that far too many American businesspeople ignore or downplay that the Chinese Government runs or manages most if not all of the manufacturing enterprises, While the powers that be in China are no longer strict Communists in the 20th century economic sense, neither does the evidence indicate that the Chinese government gives a flip about individual human rights. Neither apparently do they seem to understand the concept of quality control. As if last years incident where Chinese made pet food ingredient's were contaminated by melamine which caused many dog deaths in 2007, now the popular Blood thinner Heparin has been recalled in the US, Japan and Germany, and it is suspected that a key ingredient, made in China, is a <a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal-te.fda06mar06,0,6422449.story">fake chemical</a> that has likely contributed to 18 deaths and many more allergic reactions.<br /><br />If indeed this turns out to be another example of Chinese quality control, perhaps it is time to re-think all trade with China.The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-55025298364433453192008-03-06T19:27:00.014-06:002008-12-09T12:35:09.761-06:00Snow!!The winter this year has been extremely mild, even by Texas standards. While we have had more colder days, with colder temperatures than is typically the case, we have also had quite a few more warmer days than usual. I was commenting to my wife about a week ago that this may be the first winter I can remember where we have not had one incident of winter precipitation. While us Texans have at best a passing acquaintance with wintry weather, we usually get at least between 1 and 3 days of snow and/or ice each year. This has been most distressing to me, since ever since I was a kid, I have thoroughly enjoyed watching snow fall, and playing in the snow, and hearing the crunch of snow under my feet. If I can find a somewhat empty street, I even enjoy driving in the snow. My Pennsylvania born wife thinks I would not enjoy snow so much had I grown up in a more northerly climate where it is common.<br /><br />Anyway, I made the comment to her last week, and I was feeling rather deprived that I was going to miss out this year altogether. Well, I spoke about a week too soon. Because this is what I saw Tuesday morning:<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUByAmb7lm9JP9QSGIv8Djhw7UsJ7Sc8GQ7C-wbfwQKyCHxbc4GoI2VY2X7UdvDiubXxP9FEb8QZViGsnPNKny1yhZz3tzvho6V8heyYvzBeVakzwf1O5HBCJGR1TRLi08oRldbqBFKQ/s1600-h/March+snow+episode+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUByAmb7lm9JP9QSGIv8Djhw7UsJ7Sc8GQ7C-wbfwQKyCHxbc4GoI2VY2X7UdvDiubXxP9FEb8QZViGsnPNKny1yhZz3tzvho6V8heyYvzBeVakzwf1O5HBCJGR1TRLi08oRldbqBFKQ/s200/March+snow+episode+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174818418625474050" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKsiNabNxj0ewAfR5d83h8MCD_8hvoWZXRqcHTj7TIQ-OcpW934Wo2gLQCN7ofXL28oU2bXc-MhW_6qqI6uEBhsQmQap_7QVIbbQplU_IsRoJKlWi6uD16efS4QrIyitnOINGDhFuSaY/s1600-h/March+snow+episode+1+photo+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 201px; height: 148px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKsiNabNxj0ewAfR5d83h8MCD_8hvoWZXRqcHTj7TIQ-OcpW934Wo2gLQCN7ofXL28oU2bXc-MhW_6qqI6uEBhsQmQap_7QVIbbQplU_IsRoJKlWi6uD16efS4QrIyitnOINGDhFuSaY/s200/March+snow+episode+1+photo+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174818431510375954" border="0" /></a></div>Well, that snow lasted a few hours, and I was thinking well that was nice. Too bad it didn't stay around a day or so, but oh well. At least we finally got some snow. I had no idea I would see this today:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidlgIuodjyJRQLr5xaEfBz9DwQhBPpnzSB5H5zESYtuC6CU7VeFs_25_rko2D9XzGK2SdqSi_4S0yczBzJkifRwRyvCMDdIlwA5eaWZfWfIvfW1Htp5FhA9POGf-w6z6HL6eQ96fzoRw/s1600-h/Photo+1+March+snow+episode+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidlgIuodjyJRQLr5xaEfBz9DwQhBPpnzSB5H5zESYtuC6CU7VeFs_25_rko2D9XzGK2SdqSi_4S0yczBzJkifRwRyvCMDdIlwA5eaWZfWfIvfW1Htp5FhA9POGf-w6z6HL6eQ96fzoRw/s200/Photo+1+March+snow+episode+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174819702820695586" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbl7vek5mYr6mBESGvNKz65EhvzYVMAlxAg4g0dULL_-8hTZwI6OlQPXsAMmdvqbI8zsXNEP60RNGLmbcHQJkUr05izbDdphtTjlR7dnH03zOAF5A7POiVpWAJ_GBeFwA-iGFCOV5W5fM/s1600-h/photo+2+March+snow+episode+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 192px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbl7vek5mYr6mBESGvNKz65EhvzYVMAlxAg4g0dULL_-8hTZwI6OlQPXsAMmdvqbI8zsXNEP60RNGLmbcHQJkUr05izbDdphtTjlR7dnH03zOAF5A7POiVpWAJ_GBeFwA-iGFCOV5W5fM/s200/photo+2+March+snow+episode+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174820570404089394" border="0" /></a><br />7 inches of snow. In Texas. In March.The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-9420236801484994862008-03-03T09:42:00.003-06:002008-03-03T09:59:12.520-06:00March Musical Monday Madness Round 1There are currently workmen ripping up our downstairs flooring, to dry it out after our one of our dogs chewed the toilet connector hose yesterday. This flooded the bathroom and under the walls, and under the floor, and out the house. So what better song for today than this one:<br /><br /><a style="left: 0px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-08982603717263914 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/wNGLU_VsePg"></a><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wNGLU_VsePg"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wNGLU_VsePg" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><embed src="http://www.metrolyrics.com/scroller/scroller2.swf?lyricid=4153&border=2&bordert=80&bgfont=0xC0C0C0&bg=http://www.metrolyrics.com/scroller/bgpic/bluedisco.jpg&filter=0x000000&filtert=25&txt=0xFFFFFF&fontname=arial&fontsize=11&speed=2" quality="high" width="180" height="210" name="scroll" align="middle" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><br /><a href="http://www.metrolyrics.com/flood-lyrics-jars-of-clay.html" title="Flood Lyrics">Flood Lyrics</a><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Pandora's matches are<br />I <a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/michael+olson/waiting+for+you">Waiting for You by Michael Olson</a><br />II <a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/7th+day+slumber/candy">Candy by Seventh Day Slumber</a><br />III <a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/maeve/every+moment">Every Moment by Maeve</a><br />IV <a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/brothers+keeper/blonde+tan">Blonde and Tan by Brother's Keeper</a><br />V <a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/waterdeep/i+know+plans">I Know the Plans by Waterdeep</a><br /></span></div></div>The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-15755867531193555212008-02-26T21:59:00.009-06:002008-02-27T09:55:04.754-06:00Grumpamoose's Rules for Political DiscourseI have been thinking and mulling over, albeit at a low simmer, about how crazy certain habits of political discourse make me. This has about come to a boil, prompting me to post this now instead of another time. As I am temperamentally suspicious of the motives of governing officials, I will be skewering several Left/Liberal habits, since Liberals favor more and more activist government. And as I am a bipartisan Grumpamoose, there will also be skewering of Conservatives as well. This is not an exhaustive list, just the top 7 or so political things that makes me want to kick my dog and slap my wife. And since I would like to stay married and alive, I need to find another outlet.<br /><br />So here you go.<br /><br />#1. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Budget Cut = A year over year reduction in the monetary amount allocated to a particular item, agency, or department</span>. If you are going to claim something is a budget cut, (a la Republicans are out to starve Grandma and reduce her Social Security), and this fiscal years budget has more money than the previous one, how in the blue blazes is that a cut? If I budget 20 million for Department X this year, and propose $25 million for 2009, then when I put together the 2009 final budget, Department X gets $22 Million, that is a $2 million budget increase. Everyone who has graduated high school, even as poorly educated as most American high school graduates are, should know the simple concept that $22 million is 2 million than $20 million . and that some numbers are higher than others.<br /><br />#2. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Individuals invest. Private companies invest. Retirement and Pension plans invest. Government does not invest.</span> Investment inherently means choice. I can choose to invest my money for an potentially greater return on that money, or I can choose to go to Papa Johns every week. The bottom line is I choose. When the IRS and state taxing agencies give me the same choice - only then - and not until then - can you truthfully say that Government is an investment.<br /><br />#3. <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Eighties are over - Ronald Reagan is dead.</span> While I personally agree that Ronald Reagan was one of our best Presidents - (and I will mercilessly delete any comments otherwise - this is my blog. Wanna bash Reagan, take it elsewhere) he was not God. He was a mere mortal, and he made policy blunders and occasionally acted on misguided faith in the goodwill of his adversaries, as have all other Presidents and political leaders. The constant refrain since 1988 that so and so is "Reaganesque" or "The Next Ronald Reagan" is insulting to the man and his legacy, and frankly insulting to the intelligence of those forced to listen to such twaddle. News flash - There will never be another Ronald Reagan. He was unique to his time, and in any case the social, political, and economic conditions that made his policy prescriptions the right medicine at the time, are gone too. Hopefully anyway.<br /><br />#4. <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Sixties are also over, and John F Kennedy likewise is no longer with us</span>. See #3 substituting Reagan for Kennedy<br /><br />#5. <span style="font-weight: bold;">What properly constitutes "Middle Class", "The Rich", and "Fair share" must be pre-defined.</span> If you think Middle class ends at $35,000.00 annually, The Rich is everyone with higher incomes, and Fair Share is 50%+, just say so. So I can know if you are a Thief, or just another politician.<br /><br />#6. <span style="font-weight: bold;">When tax rates go up - that is called a tax increase</span>.<br />Suppose under Presidential X's administration , the rate at which I pay taxes goes down. If President Y champions repealing President X's tax policies, and Congress agrees with President Y, that means I get hit with a tax increase. See rule # 1. Again, 28% is higher that 15%, and 15% is higher than 10%. You are not stupid. Neither am I. Stop acting as if one of is is a moron. I promise you 'taint me.<br /><br />#7. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Finally, when supply is low, and demand is high, prices increase</span>. This is economics 101, again something every American High School graduate should know. It is not a grand conspiracy of the EEEEVVVIIIIILLLL CORPORATIONS!!!!<span style="font-size:78%;">TM</span>.<span style="font-size:100%;">*</span> But since many people apparently don't get this concept, or intentionally don't get it, but that is another rant for another day, let me explain it. When there is less of anything to go around, whether it is gasoline or grapes, it will cost more. The reason that it will cost more is because each individual grape is more valuable. The grapes are more valuable, since there are not enough grapes for all the people who want grapes. Since price is the expression of value, higher value = higher price. Unless enough other folks decide they can live without the grapes they want, and stop demanding grapes, grape prices will continue to go up, unless the grape supply goes up too. Eventually the grape farmers will grow more grapes, to get more money from the higher grape prices. Grape prices then will fall, the farmers won't grow as many grapes the next year, and some of the people who switched to oranges will want to buy grapes again. Rinse and Repeat.<br /><br />*<span style="font-size:85%;">The only possible exception to this is when supply is artificially restricted because some wealthy elitists want to keep the average Joe out of their neighborhood by land use restrictions. Or because some Congressmen are lobbied (cough ...bribed....cough) to sponsor a bill that mandates increased use of ethanol fuels made from corn, then holds hearings about why food prices are going through the roof.</span>The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-35805755358112612212008-02-25T21:56:00.004-06:002008-02-25T22:39:01.068-06:00Before I forget - it is Musical Monday numero cuatroThis is my all time favorite song from my all time favorite musical group.<br /><br /><a style="left: 0px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-08566654100566007 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/QQxl9EI9YBg&rel=1"></a><a style="left: 0px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-08566654100566007 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/QQxl9EI9YBg&rel=1"></a><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QQxl9EI9YBg&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QQxl9EI9YBg&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />Lyrics are:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span class="lgrey" style="font-size:85%;">I wanna run, I want to hide<br />I wanna tear down the walls<br />That hold me inside.<br />I wanna reach out<br />And touch the flame<br />Where the streets have no name.<br /><br />I wanna feel sunlight on my face.<br />I see the dust-cloud<br />Disappear without a trace.<br />I wanna take shelter<br />From the poison rain<br />Where the streets have no name<br />Where the streets have no name<br />Where the streets have no name.<br /><br />We're still building and burning down love<br />Burning down love.<br />And when I go there<br />I go there with you<br />(It's all I can do).<br /><br />The city's a flood, and our love turns to rust.<br />We're beaten and blown by the wind<br />Trampled in dust.<br />I'll show you a place<br />High on a desert plain<br />Where the streets have no name<br />Where the streets have no name<br />Where the streets have no name.<br /><br />We're still building and burning down love<br />Burning down love.<br />And when I go there<br />I go there with you<br />(It's all I can do).</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">This song speaks to the deep parts of my soul, that longs for a place where all tears shall be wiped away, and all the former things, that are very much part of our present, will pass away.<br /><br />Genius. Pure genius. And Pandora's 5 are:<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/stills/lola+stars+stripes">Lola Stars and Stripes - The Stills</a></li><li><a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/pulp/do+you+remember+1st+time">Do You Remember the First Time - Pulp</a></li><li><a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/love+x+nowhere/sympathy">Sympathy - The Love X Nowhere</a></li><li><a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/huey+lewis+news/heart+soul">Heart and Soul - Huey Lewis and The News</a></li><li><a href="http://www.pandora.com/music/song/frog+eyes/miasma+gardens">Miasma Gardens - Frog Eyes</a></li></ul><br /></div></div>The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-4804220538671403292008-02-18T00:01:00.003-06:002010-01-18T23:17:33.359-06:00Musical Monday the ThirdI love history. I don't know why, because no one in my family has more than a middling interest in history, and the only one that even does that is my Dad. But perhaps my love of history can be traced to my Dad, who used to sing this song to me when I was little. I smile when I remember this song, and I can still hear my Dad's younger Tenor singing this.<br /><br />Live Action version<br /><embed src='http://www.guba.com/static/f/player.swf?isEmbeddedPlayer=true&bid=3000103647' quality='best' bgcolor='#FFFFFF' menu='true' width='375px' height='360px' name='root' id='root' align='middle' scaleMode='noScale' allowScriptAccess='never' allowFullScreen='true' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer'></embed><br /><br />Lyrics<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> In 1814 we took a little trip<br />Along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississip.<br />We took a little bacon and we took a little beans<br />And we caught the bloody British in the town of New Orleans.<br />[Chorus] We fired our guns and the British kept a'comin.<br />There wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago.<br />We fired once more and they began to runnin' on<br />Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.<br /><br />We looked down the river and we see'd the British come.<br />And there must have been a hundred of'em beatin' on the drum.<br />They stepped so high and they made the bugles ring.<br />We stood by our cotton bales and didn't say a thing<br />[Chorus]<br />Yeah, they ran through the briars and they ran through the brambles<br />And they ran through the bushes where a rabbit couldn't go.<br />They ran so fast that the hounds couldn't catch 'em<br />Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.**<br />We fired our cannon 'til the barrel melted down.<br />So we grabbed an alligator and we fought another round.<br />We filled his head with cannon balls, and powdered his behind<br />And when we touched the powder off, the gator lost his mind.<br />[Chorus]<br />Yeah, they ran through the briars and they ran through the brambles<br />And they ran through the bushes where a rabbit couldn't go.<br />They ran so fast that the hounds couldn't catch 'em<br />Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico</span> <br /><br /></div>Top 5 Pandora matches<br />I - Love's Gonna Live Here by Waylon Jennings<br />II - Down the Street to 301 by Johnny Cash<br />III - Love Me Honey Do by Patsy Cline<br />IV - Ole Slewfoot by June Carter Cash<br />V - Hill Billy Mambo by Sheb WooleyThe Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-52303204791574777782008-02-17T10:08:00.009-06:002010-01-18T23:29:33.764-06:00Is it Michelle Peron, or Eva Obama?The other day I heard a speech that Michelle Obama made at UCLA earlier this year, and in hearing it, my thought was that I was hearing a 21st century Eva Peron, speaking about how Juan Peron loved Argentinians, and how he alone could save Argentina from all the ills, and usher in heaven on earth. And except for the thousands of people who disappeared and the many more who suffered economically under Peron's corruption and fascist socialism, Peronist Argentina was not bad.<br /><br />Anyway, back to 21st Century United States.<br />The two sections of Ms Per...er Obama's speech phrase that sent chills down my spine are this:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 255);font-family:verdana;" ><em>"We have lost the understanding that in a democracy we have a mutual obligation to one another. That we cannot measure our greatness in this society by the strongest and richest of us. But we have to measure our greatness by the least of these. That we have to compromise and sacrifice for one another in order to get things done. That is why I am here. Because Barack Obama is the only person in this race who understands that. That before we can work on the problems we have to fix our souls. Our souls are broken in this nation.</em></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-family:verdana;" ><em><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 255);"> If we can't see ourselves in one another we will never make those sacrifices. So I am here right now because I am married to the only person in this race who has a chance of healing this nation."</span><br /><br /></em></span>And This:<br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 255, 255);">"</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-family:verdana;" ><em><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 255, 255);">Change will always be hard. And it doesn't happen from the top down. We do not get universal health care, we do not get better schools, because somebody else in the White House. We get change because folks from the grass roots up decide they are </span><span style="color: rgb(102, 255, 255);">sick and tired of other people telling them how their lives will be.</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 255, 255);"> When they decide to roll up their sleeves and work. And </span><span style="color: rgb(102, 255, 255);">Barack Obama will require you to work</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 255, 255);">. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism. That you put down your division. That you come out of your isolation. That you move out of your comfort zones. That you push yourselves to be better. And that you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual; uninvolved, uninformed."</span><br /><br /></span></em></span>No, Ms Obama, we owe gratitude that we live under a relative freedom of a Constitutional Republic, and nothing more. The only duty we owe to other Americans is that of maintaining and defending that freedom against all who seek to destroy that freedom. The only obligation we have is only to ourselves and our families, to ensure that our and our families needs are met. The "least of these" have the same obligation. It is not my problem if they are not meeting that obligation and it does not matter if this failure to meet their obligation is lack of ability, lack of opportunity, lack of education, lack of effort, or any other factor.<br /><br />Now, morally we should do all we can to help others, but only so far as we can after meeting our own obligations. However, while helping others is a moral requirement, this does not mean that it should ever be a legal requirement that is enforced by the State. There is some other entity to whom we are morally accountable, and that entity does not reside in the District of Columbia.<br /><br />The idea that the Obama camp seems to be espousing here - namely that other Americans have a claim on our lives, to the point that we are required to sacrifice our and our family's own treasure on behalf of these others. Furthermore this claim is to be enforced by the power of the state through taxation and imprisonment. There is a word for this - slavery. If we are so sick and tired of other people telling us how our lives will be, how is it a good thing that Barack Obama can tell us how our lives will be? By what authority does Barack Obama have the power to force me to work for his agenda?<br /><br />Oh and one more thing Ms Obama, my soul is just fine, and the healing and protection of which is in infinitely more capable hands than Barack Obama's - thank you very much.<span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-family:verdana;" ><em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></em></span>The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-70868408413665153372008-02-11T20:08:00.000-06:002008-02-11T21:28:52.535-06:00Musical Monday IIOne of my favorite sayings by Martin Luther is, and I paraphrase,<br />" There are two days on my calendar - this day and That day".<br /><br />One of the things I try to do is live my life around that idea. Today is many times way more than I can deal with, let alone tomorrow. And I have found it much easier to live each day in light of what I believe "That day" is - a day sometime to come when I will stand before God and give an account of how I spent my life. Now I do not say this as something fearful in the sense that I have to have lived a life perfectly in order to win God's favor, because I have put all my chips in the basket of trusting Christ's sacrificial grace (and if that makes no sense to you and you want to know what the heck I mean, leave a comment). But it does mean that I strive to keep my focus on what really matters in life.<br /><br /><br />As to what that may mean regarding something musical, here it is. While I have <a href="http://grump-a-moose.blogspot.com/2008/01/mtc-challenge-6.html">mentioned</a> that I cannot stand much of what Garth Brooks has recorded, there are a few songs that I really like of his, and <a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=328975654947748653">this </a>is one of them (<a href="http://www.planetgarth.com/lyrics/if_tomorrow_never_comes.php">Lyrics here</a>). When it comes to my relationship to my wife, I am really truly desiring that, when That Day comes, that I can say with no reservation that I did everything I could to show her that I loved her, and that so far as it depended on me, there will be no doubt in her mind that I showed that love for her every day in every way I can.<br /><br />Pandora's top 5 songs similar to "If Tomorrow Never comes"<br /><br /><ol><li>Still on a Roll by Moe Bandy</li><li>Run by George Strait</li><li>Ten Years of This by Gary Stewart</li><li>The Note by Daryle Singletary</li><li>Rise and Shine by Ronnie Dove<br /></li></ol>The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-89879191878033647942008-02-10T21:20:00.000-06:002008-02-12T20:36:01.142-06:00Mystery Topic Challenge #7This rounds topic is:<br /><br />"<strong>You awaken to find yourself stranded on a deserted island with nothing but a pocket knife, a bottle of Jack Daniels, and Britney Spears. How did you get there, and what do you do now?"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">June 9, 2008. My world came crashing down - literally - yesterday. Yesterday morning I said goodbye to my wife, drove to the airport, and got on a plane to go to a trade show in Hawaii. The last thing I remember before I woke up on this beach was a loud shake, the lights in the airplane going off, and the flight attendants telling us to assume crash positions. I spent the morning and most of the afternoon sifting through wreckage as it washed up, to see if I could find something useful to survive until I could figure out a way to get off what I assume is an island somewhere in the South Pacific. The rest of the day I went looking for food, survivors and some kind of shelter.<br /><br />June 10. After a brief shower this morning had passed, I went exploring some more. This morning I found a suitcase that had washed up, although it had come open in the surf. but I did find a pocketknife, some clothes, and a bottle of what I assume is Jack Daniels. The label is torn off though so I am not sure. I threw the clothes away. I also found on the other end of the lagoon some evidence that at least some one survived the crash long enough to make it to the beach..<br /><br />June 11. The pocketknife, a swiss army knife, was as useful as stereotypically advertised, as I managed to whittle a fish spear, and actually managed to find something other than bananas to eat. now if I could only find a mirror or some glass to start a solar fire, so I can eat something else besides sushi and bananas. Found more evidence of other survivors, as I found some woman's clothing and some prescription pills around what appeared to be a campsite<br /><br />June 12. Clear plastic luggage tags work somewhat effectively at using the sun to start a fire. No more sushi for me. No sign of anyone else though<br /><br />June 13. Made it all the way to the other side of the island. found some berries, and fresh water spring. rained all afternoon. No sign of anyone<br /><br />June 14. Rain and strong wind. no fish today. roasted bananas. Found a cave to set up a dryer camp. no sign of anyone<br /><br />June 15. Heard bad singing a few moments this morning as I woke up. it stopped after a few minutes though, and I did not hear anything else until late in the day. I wonder if I am starting to go insane.<br /><br />June 18. Finally saw a glimpse of someone else walking the other way. but they were too close to the surf to hear my yelling I suppose. They were rather short, and brownish blond hair. My guess is it was a woman.<br /><br />June 19. Yes it was a woman. but she seemed rather out of it. Another severe storm, so I spent most of the day back in the cave.<br /><br />June 20. Well, my fellow survivor is none other than Britney Spears. And she is as loony as the proverbial fruitcake. After hearing five minutes of her inane prattle, I cannot decide if I will drink myself into a stupor, slit my wrists, slit her throat, or wait until the paparrazi arrive looking for that stupid whore, to get myself off this bloody island.<br /><br /><br /><br />UPDATE </span></strong><code>Please visit the <a href="http://www.jaynedarcy.us/MTCblog/2008/02/11/mystery-topic-challenge-7-entries/">Mystery Topic Challenge Blog</a> to view all of the other entries. Once you've read them all, please be sure to vote <a href="http://www.jaynedarcy.us/MTCblog/">HERE</a> in the Sidebar for your favorite.</code>The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-49170160495978907522008-02-04T19:49:00.001-06:002010-01-18T23:24:16.398-06:00Musical Moose MondayOk, so I stole this idea from <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 255);" href="http://bun-girl.blogspot.com/2008/02/introducing-musical-mondays.html">Bungirl,</a> but a good idea is a good idea.<br /><br />However I am not currently listening to this song, or the album it was on, this song is one that has meant a lot to me for many years, ever since I first heard it.<br /><br />The song is <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 255);" href="http://www.actionext.com/names_r/rich_mullins_lyrics/here_in_america.html">Here in America</a> by Rich Mullins. You can see the video here -<br /><br /> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/c5RWve3yD1o&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/c5RWve3yD1o&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Sometimes my American-ness overwhelms my Christianity, such that I forget that we are not the chosen people, and the arrogance this myopia generates tends to make it easy to think of ourselves as the center of Christianity. I think the reason this song resonates - apart from the Irish images - is the subtle reminder that American Christians are no different from Chinese Christians or Russian Christians, or Christians from any other nation, race or time. We are all abundantly blessed for one reason and only one reason- the grace of Jesus Christ poured out in His death, and validated by His resurrection.<br /><br />Anyway, back to the rules;<br />Pandora's top 5 songs<br />1 You Gotta Get Up by Rich Mullins<br />2 Rushing Wind by Keith Green<br />3 He's in this Place by Clint Brown (never heard of him)<br />4 Draw me Close by Kathy Troccoli<br />5 It's no Secret What God can Do by Johnny Cash (ok?)<br /><br />So that is my version of Musical Monday.<br /><a href="http://www.actionext.com/names_r/rich_mullins_lyrics/here_in_america.html"> </a>The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-61706205161164516162008-02-04T08:43:00.000-06:002008-02-04T20:43:34.154-06:00Mystery Topic Challenge<code>Hello! I'm participating in Mystery Topic Challenge #7. The topic has been announced. If you'd like to join me, head on over to the <a href="http://www.jaynedarcy.us/MTCblog/2008/02/03/mtc-7-mystery-topic/">MTC Blog</a> to find out the topic.</code>The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-20240467682858492008-02-02T13:23:00.000-06:002008-02-02T13:25:56.254-06:00More GrumpamoosicIf you have your speakers on, you likely can gather this already. But for those who don't, I have updated Grumpamoose's playlist, and added some new songs. EnjoyThe Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-36192788718477806812008-01-29T19:10:00.000-06:002008-01-29T19:39:08.187-06:00Day 2 for a Dog scareHopefully this is not going to be a trend. I posted yesterday on our little adventure with <a href="http://grump-a-moose.blogspot.com/2008/01/when-you-let-your-dogs-out-make-sure.html">Jared</a>. Well, I am back for episode II.<br /><br />Our back yard fence is white vinyl pvc, and today the winds were pretty strong, with gusts up to 60 mph. When the fence was installed per the HOA guidelines, the contractor who built it did not measure one section correctly, and as a result, the top cross bar has a tendency to pull out of the hole in the post, if the winds are hard enough. Most times, I can just pop it back in and it will stay for a month or so, so it is not such a pain that I am willing to pay to get it replaced.<br /><br />Today I let our <a href="http://www.dogster.com/dogs/218143">husky</a> outside to relieve her bladder, and I did not see that this cross bar had not only popped open, but several of the slats had fallen into the alley, creating a rather large hole in the fence. But she and I saw it at the same time, and being the little imp that she is, Masha decided to take a little walk. She did this knowing that she was not supposed to, because she looked back at me when I started calling her back inside, and giving me her impish smile, she slow-trotted meandaringly to the hole, walked through it, then she took off like a bullet.<br /><br />If it were any other of our dogs, I would not have been so angry, because they all are fairly obedient, and also have a good sense of direction and homing skills. But if you know anything about Siberian Huskies, then you know that their homing instincts are, shall we say, non-existent.<br /><br />Fortunately she was apparently thinking this was a grand game, as she would let me get within a few feet, and when I tried to grab her, she would jump away and start a fast trot down the street. But since each time I would almost get her, she would run just a little farther away, I was sure that she was going to take off running down the street or into the fields next to our housing development never to be seen again. Good news is she managed to get no further than the far side of the pocket park across the street from out house, before I finally managed to grab her collar and walk her back to the house. We waited for a minute or two, at the front door, since I had not gotten my keys, and the door was locked. Bungirl had taken the car and driven the other direction in the neighborhood, since we were not sure which way Masha had gone, and when she drove by she saw us on the porch.<br /><br />And needless to say, getting the fence fixed so this doesn't happen again has gone to the top of my to do list.The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-4552542359046592262008-01-28T20:52:00.000-06:002008-01-28T22:56:43.528-06:00When you let your dogs out, make sure they are all the way outOne of our dogs, <a href="http://www.dogster.com/dogs/696563">Jared</a>, is spending the night at the vets office, before he has surgery in the morning to repair a compound fracture at the tip of his tail. Which I inadvertently, and at the moment unknowingly, shut in the door. From which, in his shock-induced painlessness from the first few minutes back inside the house, and with his wildly wagging tail, he splattered blood all over our house. It looked like a murder scene with blood on the walls and on the floor. Thank goodness for Swiffer wet sweeper pads.<br /><br />Fortunately the vet next to where <a href="http://bun-girl.blogspot.com/">BunGirl</a> works was still open when I got him there. By then his shock had worn off, so that he was more growly than I have ever known him to be, due to what I suppose had to be quite a bit of pain and confusion. But the vet got his bleeding tail well bandaged without any bitten hands, and he should be back home tomorrow evening.The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-50813681070444613542008-01-28T20:11:00.000-06:002008-01-28T21:15:14.547-06:00It's time for another Mystery Topic Challenge<span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><code>I'm taking part in Mystery Topic Challenge #7. If you want to join me, just visit the <a href="http://www.jaynedarcy.us/MTCblog">MTC Blog</a> today and sign up!</code></span>The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1620910289241597699.post-14417015900532306962008-01-21T11:20:00.000-06:002008-01-21T11:23:35.969-06:00MTC #6 Caucus timeIt is voting time<br /><br />Please visit the <a href="http://www.jaynedarcy.us/MTCblog/2008/01/20/mystery-topic-challenge-6-entries/">Mystery Topic Challenge Blog</a> to read all of the other entries. Once you've read them all, please be sure to vote <a href="http://www.jaynedarcy.us/MTCblog/">HERE</a> in the Sidebar for your favorite.<br /><br />And please let mine be your favorite.The Moosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00974500307193089780noreply@blogger.com0