"Project 50"

I had a notion one day to plan a trip to each of the fifty state capitals. And to do it in five weeks. On paper in looked pretty good. I looked up pastors in churches of my denomination in or near each of the stopping points (my east coast jaunt would take in as many as three states in a day!), so I could get lodging. My "only" problem then would be upkeep on my car and time. I figured I could do it for $5000 or so - $100 per state!

But, of course, even that plan was ludicrous. Part of the plan was to come up with an objective. Just WHY would anyone wish to go to these places? What would I do when I got to the capital building. Well, what about just praying? A noble cause, for sure.

And so, that evolved into an email campaign to the fifty governors to ask if they would mind a telephone call "on one of the fifty days from Easter to Pentecost." Well, no takers on a phone call (so far), and only some have even sent a follow-up email. But I started the prayers tonight, "Easter" Sunday.

Check out the blog at http://50prayers50governors.blogspot.com

How 'Bout Them Dawgs!!

I do not follow basketball - not even church league here at home - but here is another blog about basketball in as many days!

From the sports page of the New York Times:

"The sixth-seeded Bulldogs, who won four league games all season, won four in four days and captured the Southeastern Conference tournament championship and an automatic berth in the N.C.A.A. tournament with a 66-57 victory over Arkansas."

With a losing season going in, the Dogs tenaciously held on through a literal storm to get a spot in the big show -- March Madness! At least one man - their coach, Dennis Felton - received a "new lease on life" as his dismal season had put his job in jeopardy.

I am NOT going to embarrass myself by posting my "picks" this year. And I do not hold out any hopes that my alma mater will upset the likes of Duke, North Carolina, or Boston College. But let this Georgia Boy vicariously bask in the glory of the moment!

Watch Out NCAA!

Faith and Basketball - an unlikely combination? Not to the scouts from the NCAA!

It seems that the National Christian Homeschool Basketball Championships have quietly worked up some interest in some of the most impressive Christian athletes out there! As this article in Sunday's New York Times points out, home-schooled students are not the slackers some would have you believe. Locally, here in Greenville, we have just finished our church league tournaments with some impressive games. Our teams did not bring home trophies, but the senior girls won nine of eleven regular season games! Some of our players were home-schooled.

Most of the players at the National Christian Homeschool Basketball Championships, though, had to field teams from OTHER home-schools because only 18 states - sadly South Carolina being one of them - will allow participation of home-schooled athletes in their programs. State Senator Mike Fair (from the upstate) is leading the fight for the home-schoolers.

I applaud the scouts who are looking for talent WHEREVER it may be -- even on the courts of a Christian College in Oklahoma City.

One Last Lecture

Eat up by cancer, but otherwise healthy, Dr. Randy Pausch spoke on "Achieving your childhood dreams." In this out-take from an hour message, as presented to an audience at Oprah Winfrey's show, will bring a tear to the eye - or at least a lump in your throat!




What would YOU say if you KNEW you would die soon?

Signs of the Time?

Check this out:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/business/worldbusiness/09crop.html

What's this world coming to? Well, Revelation 6:6 comes to mind:

"And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine."

A "penny" is a denarius, equal to a day's wage. The daily wage in Nigeria is about $2.00 a day (median per capita is $560). But that does not stop the local middle class from spending half a day's wage for a serving of bread in the morning:

“I must eat bread and tea in the morning. Otherwise, I can’t be happy,” Mr. Sule said as he sat on a bench at a roadside cafe a few weeks ago. For a breakfast that includes a small loaf, he pays about $1 a day, twice what the traditional eba would have cost him.

To save a few pennies, he decided to skip butter. The bread was the important thing.

“Even if the price goes up,” Mr. Sule said, “if I have the money, I’ll still buy it.”

Addicted to wheat bread! Who would have thought? Though the economy looks like it is headed into a recession, things are looking up for America's farmers. STILL the breadbasket of the world, our market is growing! Even those that had very little NEED for wheat bread (like in Nigeria) are demanding the product! They can't grow much themselves, so the price is increasing towards their daily wage.

Is the end near? How much time do we have left? Will Africa's population "self-destruct"? So many questions? So little time!

Or, will everything work itself out? Supply-side economics and all that! Time, as usual, will tell all. Just you wait!

Free Speech and "Eternity"

I was thinking of writing a blog on this mix-up in Cathedral City, California, but a blogger named Ben Witherington beat me to it! That is what I get for putting off reading my email until the weekend! Anyway, Ben has a lot to say, much of it quite humorous, so check out what he had to say about this at his blog.

Personally, I think the word "Eternity" is a little nebulous for a preacher of the gospel to use on the top of his building. To really get the message across, I would expect "Jesus Saves," especially from a Southern Baptist. Of course as Mr. Witherington shoes in a joke on his blog, the "Jesus Saves" message can be a bit of a cliche'. Then again, since this display in an out of the way place got so much attention, it might very well have been the BEST word to use!

All the more reason to pray for California, I suppose.

A Line in the water?

The state of Georgia is dry. Not blessed with a lot of streams, rivers, and dammed up lakes, it has taken to begging water from it's neighbors like South Carolina. And now, a dispute as old as the state of Tennessee has presented a new attraction: water!

It seems that the smaller, more geographically blessed neighbor to the north has a river with plenty of mountain fresh water. The trouble is, it is JUST our of reach. Unlike the Savannah river to the east (which it shares with us in the fair state of South Carolina) and the Chattahoochee River to the west (which has its headwaters just south of the Atlanta airport) which it has to share with Alabama, the Tennessee River is not part of the official border. At least not on the maps.

But the law that the US government used to establish the Tennessee border specifically called for the 35th parallel to be the southern border. That line slices across a bend in the Tennessee River.

As this screen shot from Google Earth plainly shows, the tri-state corner is certainly in the Tennessee River. Clicking on it ought to give better detail.


So, what gives, Tennessee? Just because a few guys almost two hundred years ago put the corner post on land a mile south of here (who could blame them, really, especially in the winter!), it does not change the geography! The law could have designated the River as the boundary, but that would have given up a valuable water way to the "good ol' boys" established in Washington and Atlanta (or Milledgeville, or where-ever it was in those days).

Furthermore, if the boundary marker determines all points east, then Georgia should be about 140 square miles bigger. That's about the area of the city of Atlanta! Think of what developers could do with that! I grew up in Georgia back in the twentieth century [aka "the dark ages"], and my family lives there now [I'm the only foreigner], so I certainly will root for them to win this dispute. It will be giving up more than just water rights. But it will be good if the Supreme Court can come to a conclusion here pretty soon.

We will share some of our water. Tennessee can do as much.

A Word from the Chairman

Ed Rollins, who surely understands how politics works, has some definite ideas on WHY it is still possible for Mike Huckabee to be the 44th president of the USA! He is Mike's campaign chairman. No confidential information is in this memo, so I thought it suitable for publication here. Here is the full memo:
February 8, 2008


Memorandum to Huckabee Campaigners

From: Ed Rollins, Campaign Chairman; Chip Saltsman, Campaign Manager

Re: Our Path to Victory at the Minneapolis-St. Paul convention


Too many Republicans have tried to turn this nomination battle into a coronation, not a series of further election contests. Big mistake on their part. They are wrong. We know that we are running an underdog campaign, but that's nothing new - we have always been the underdog. And yet a whole lot of onetime "overdogs” are now on the sidelines, licking their wounds. The Republican National Convention is seven long months away; a lot can happen in that much time. A lot will happen.

But in the meantime, as you all know, Governor Huckabee is not a quitter. He has never shirked from a challenge, and he never will. He has always told us - and personally reaffirmed to us just today - that he is in this raceto win. That is, to win the Republican presidential nomination, and to win the White House. Why? Because he cares deeply about the issues that inspired him to get into politics in the first place - back in the 60s, when he started studying the works of the great conservative thinkers and writers, back in the 70s, when he was an ardent supporter of another underdog Republican. And what was that fellow's name? Oh yes - it was Ronald Reagan.

So don't let anyone tell you that it's over! In fact, as of today, no fewer than 27 states, districts, and territories have not yet had a chance to vote. That includes such big states as Texas (Chuck Norris' home state, 'nuff said), Ohio, and Pennsylvania. All the Republicans and Republican-minded independents in those states want to be part of the process, too, and they deserve to have a choice put before them. Folks don't want the Republican Establishment to pick the nominee for them, through a premature rush to judgment, and they sure as heck don't want the media to pick the nominee!

We note that in many of the hottest contests so far, the vote has been divided into thirds - typically, about one-third for Governor Huckabee, one third for Senator McCain, and one third for all the other candidates. And as you know, typically, Governor Huckabee has done best among hardcore Republicans - the activist base. That's one reason why we are looking forward to Governor Huckabee's speech to the legendary CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, in DC tomorrow morning. You'd better believe that the folks gathered at the Omni Shoreham hotel are the go-getters who make or break primary elections. Just wait till they get a load of Mike Huckabee!

We are confident that we will get most of the activists, the folks who work the hardest because they care the most about the issues. In addition, we note that many of the jurisdictions that have already voted have merely had the first round of their delegate-selection process. To be frank, there's still plenty of time for politicking, as Republicans really focus on the question of who should lead their party into the November election. Who's the most stalwart champion of Republican and conservative values? Who's the most articulate and effective campaigner? We know the answer to those questions - that's why we have been working our hearts out for Mike Huckabee. But soon, everyone paying attention will know that, too. As the campaign season grinds on - and let's again remember, this is just February! - there will be plenty of time for reflection and reconsideration, especially among those hundreds of delegates pledged to candidates who have now dropped out.


As we saw in West Virginia on Tuesday - where Governor Huckabee swooped in on the day of the state convention and won a decisive victory that changed the tone of the remaining Super Tuesday coverage - a single good speech from our candidate is often worth more than all the tens of millions of dollars, and all the big-shot endorsements, that the other candidates have been able to drum up.

Indeed, it's interesting that Mike Huckabee has done so well in the states so critical to Republican prospects this November. That is, those "swing states" that are essential building blocks of a Republican victory coalition this year. Let's face it: This November, we're not likely to be looking forward to a GOP landslide! The last two presidential elections were close - the GOP won 271 electoral votes in '00, and 286 in '04 - and we fully expect the '08 election to be hard-fought and close, too, as both parties wrestle to get the majority of those 538 electoral votes. What does all this mean to Republican activists? Well, it means that the next Republican nominee has to be able to nail down the electoral votes of such
"must-win" states in the South and Border States - exactly the states where Mike Huckabee has done so well this year. Hard-nosed political activists know that it doesn't do much good, November-wise, to run well in the blue bicoastal states. Sure, it would be great to carry New York and Massachusetts and California, but those mostly liberal states aren't a part of any gut-it-out strategy. (In fact, we think that Mike Huckabee would actually run stronger among traditional Independent and Democratic constituencies than any other Republican, but that'll be the subject of a future memo.)

And now, with the endorsement of Dr. James Dobson, who is the "gold standard" of social conservatism, we fully expect that Movement Conservatives - those who fight the good fight on Life, on Marriage, on the Second Amendment - will increasingly rally to our cause. In fact, come to think of it, any American who reveres the US Constitution has a stake in Mike Huckabee's success, because he has been an unstinting proponent of all our Constitutional freedoms, including the First Amendment, which he believes has been wrongly abridged by wrong-headed campaign finance "reform" legislation. Of course, there is one amendment that MH doesn't like: The 16th Amendment. That one was a mistake, which he will fix with the Fair Tax!

Mike Huckabee has great respect for John McCain. He has always defended the senior senator from Arizona against unfair and scurrilous attacks, and he always will. And because MH is who he is, he will continue to campaign as he always has - in an honorable and honest way. He will draw distinctions, he will debate and debate hard, but he will always be civil and decent. In fact, even many McCain supporters have told us that they appreciate the constructive role that Governor Huckabee can play in the months to come, because a vigorous discussion will keep all the media "oxygen" from migrating over to the heated Democratic contest.

Faith. Family. Freedom. Those are the words that have guided Mike Huckabee this far, and they will continue to guide him, and us, all the way to the White House next January. The 44th governor of Arkansas will be the 44th President of the United States.

See you at the Inauguration!

Mike's Story

Here it is: A brief Video Biography of Mike Huckabee!

One of Four:



Two of Four:



Three of Four:



Four of Four:



This is the man that everyone dismisses. These short clips don't even scratch the surface of his accomplishments - any ONE of which could qualify him for public leadership. He deserves the FULL respect of all who must acknowledge him in this Two-man race!

Please consider helping with a donation (in the sidebar).

Mike Huckabee - The Only Conservative Left!

Well, folks. It is down to a two-man race. Well, Ron Paul hasn't backed down, so technically we're looking at a three-man race. But even that being said, Mike Huckabee is the only Conservative left in the presidential race. Ron Paul is a libertarian at heart.

No one, even his staunchest supporters, can claim that John McCain is more conservative than Governor Huckabee. They will point to his "maverick" voting record as a strength - proof that he can work things out with the Democrats. Or even that he is following his convictions instead of the party line. But a conservative?

Here is a link to an interview this past Friday - before "Super Tuesday" - in which the governor answers some tough questions from Christian interviewers. This program was called "Americans of Faith"

In just a few days a few more states will have their turn. Huckabee has an even better chance to pick up the "red states" left. He has already shown strength in the south (which any candidate must get to become president). Can he deny McCain the 1,119 delegates? Can he actually surpass the senator and secure them himself? Or will there be a brokered convention?

Voters in the upcoming primaries and caucuses, you owe it to yourself to check out Mike Huckabee's website. If it you are looking for a conservative who has beat the Clinton machine numerous times - check out Mike. If you are looking for charisma to challenge the youth of the Obama wave - check out Mike. If you want to feel good about voting Republican to keep the Deomocrats out of the White House in November - Check out Mike!

Go Mike!

Biodiversity and "Evolution"

When discussing "biodiversity" science writers cannot help but call it "evolution"! The very opposite of evolution - the LOSS of information - is a problem in the lucrative dairy business in Africa. Notice the mixing of the concepts of selective breeding ("assisted selection" as a opposed to "natural selection"!) with the concept of evolution (that is, "change"):

From "A Dying Breed" by Andrew Rice


"Every cow in the world is the product of some human agency. The extinct feral ancestor of all cattle, the auroch, was a fearsome horned creature that could grow to be six feet tall. There are two theories about the taming of wild aurochs. The traditional view holds that it happened around 6000 B.C. in the Fertile Crescent. But recent archaeological and genetic evidence suggests that domestication may have first occurred in Africa 2,000 years earlier, in the then-lush plains of the eastern Sahara. . . .

"For millennia, changing a breed’s genetics through husbandry required a long trial-and-error process. But today it can happen in an evolutionary eye blink. . . .

"To see the evolution in Ugandan dairy cattle, I visited a farmer named Jackson Sezibwa, who lives down a reddish dirt path outside the central Ugandan town of Mukono. A weather-beaten man of 46, Sezibwa greeted me in a torn, muddy shirt. He showed me to the metal-roofed stall where he keeps his Holstein, Kevina. . . .

"If the Ankole cattle are able to mount a comeback, it will be because circumstances have endowed them with a unique set of defenses, both evolutionary and political. Members of President Museveni’s ethnic group populate the upper ranks of Uganda’s government. . . ."

The author, Andrew Rice, seems to equate the term "evolution" with "selection." There is a continued LOSS of genetic information from the original "extinct" aurock (the oxen that came off the ark!). This is, it seems a detriment to the species - which is FAR from extinct. The worry is that there may be a pandemic in the ever warmer climate of the world bringing an actual extinction to the noble bovine race. Far fetched, of course, but possible.

The point is, true "evolution" is not at play here. The oxen - seven of which went on the ark (three pair and one to sacrifice) - were more diverse than other species because they were "clean." Therefore, it should not be of any concern to the world's guardians of "biodivesity" if the noble ankole breed disappears.

In fact, "evolution" of species is impossible! The only reason scientists continue this fable is because it takes the Creator out of the picture. The very evidence that humanist scientists use to "prove" evolution draw only from a diverse gene pool that has been diluted over time. No addition of information has ever been shown. Older species were just more diverse.

Bacteria are not bigots

The New York Times felt that it was noteworthy to to tell the world that certain bacteria are "striking gay men." That implies that the microscopic pests know the difference and are picking on this population of San Franciscans (and Bostonians). This is downright foolish!

It is unmistakably the patently unhealthy lifestyle that spreads this "flesh eating" bacteria (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA for short). The article should have an "R" rating for mentioning the activity and body parts being affected. If anyone reading this is interested, I would suggest you "google" the MRSA and "gay" men. I will not provide a link to such vile stuff!

The alarm is that such a plague may spread not just among the homosexual community, but beyond. Like HIV, such infections are the result of unsafe practices that if held in check would leave the "straight" community practically untouched.

Bacteria are not bigots. They do not discriminate. Anyone that does the "crime" pays the price! My advice to those in danger of infection: "Clean up your 'act'."

Of One Blood: The myth of "race"

I am a staunch conservative, but I have to admire Senator Barack Obama! The man refuses to make "race" an issue. In a New York Times article, he is accurately (as far as using "race" to describe human variation can be) called "biracial." He is just as "white" as he is "black," though his skin pigmentation is definitely from his natural father, Barack Obama, Sr, whom he never really knew. The Senior Obama was an exchange student from Kenya who separated from his very white mother, the late Shirley Ann Dunham, when the child was two.

"Disclaimer"*
From a comparison of MY records (incomplete) and a search via rootsweb (I am descended from the Dunhams), I am about a 10th cousin to the Senator!

His mother then remarried another student - this time Indonesian - and moved him to Indonesia for some of his earliest education. He basically "grew up white." However, he has consistently taken on the cause of Americans of African descent. But he refuses to call the cause "racial." And so do I. From the Genesis record we know that ALL mankind is descended from one couple. This is confirmed in the New Testament:

Acts 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

And so, let us take some advice from the Junior Senator from Illinois. Let us admit that we need to look for solutions to HUMAN problems, not "racial" ones.

Is the polar bear "endangered"?

Sara Palin lives there, so she should know. But environmentalist groups are lobbying to put the big whites on the "Endangered Species" list based on the flimsy excuse that their "habitat" is disappearing. Not so fast, the Alaskan governor declares.

It seems that there are more polar bears now than there were forty years ago. The laws meant to protect them are working. By using "global warming" arguments, which project short term trends to a logical conclusion, environmentalists claim that as goes the ice, so goes the bear. That is discounting the vast plain of permafrost which supports much more life than do icebergs! The bears may even have a BETTER time at finding land-based prey.

Besides, how biologically diverse is a polar bear from its cousins? Perhaps it would just adapt to changing conditions. Do you think a study has been done from THAT angle? Probably not, given the present evolutionary bias in the sciences. As a matter of fact, studies are not needed. History and science are replete with examples of "hybrids" among bears. Both the grizzly and the brown bear have been known to interbreed with the polar bear -- with fertile offspring! Therefore, it can be reasonably assumed that the "species" is not in danger at all! As you get away from the frozen north, bears of other varieties are numerous. It would be sad, I suppose, if a particular "breed" of bear were to disappear. But "endangered" is not a term that need be used.

Mission Accomplished?

In May of AD 30, the risen Savior, Jesus Christ, told his disciples:

Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Eighteen centuries and 15,000 miles away, on the tiny Island of Rata Iti, this task was accomplished:

"Rapa, on the southeast radial from the centre, is the most southerly island in tropical Polynesia and is sometimes included in the Austral Islands. Like the Austral Islands, Rapa had been so neglected that Stokes, who went there from Raivavae, found the myths and traditions scanty and confused. The few fragments that were gathered are interesting as remnants of a richer oral literature that was not committed to writing by the early native missionaries who were preoccupied with spreading the new theology.

The Reverend Davies, who visited the island in 1826, stated that the religion of Rapa was the same as that of Tahiti but without the parade and show. There were no regular religious structures, but a few stones were regarded as sacred shrines with magic power. No images in stone or wood were found, the the gods Paparua and Poere were represented by material objects." -- Vikings of the Sunrise, by Te Rangi Hiroa, chapter 13

After the gospel had spread throughout the civilized world, the London Missionary Society had set out to reach the heathen of the uncivilized world. A British sea captain, George Vancouver, rediscovered the island in 1791 on his circumlocution of the globe. Though better known for his exploration of the American Northwest, his voyage took him to Hawaii and Australia and around Africa back to England. Along the way he observed the island without much interaction. This was a "whirlwind" tour at the end of a short life (he died upon return to England at age 40).

The missionaries, though, used this discovery a generation later to reach this island that is the furthest point of land away from Jerusalem! The natives were eager to learn new ideas, and soon abandoned their old belief system. Unfortunately, the gospel was not the only thing that came from Europe. Diseases unknown to this far land ravaged a population of around 2000 people -- down to about 300! We can only hope that those who died had embraced the new faith. Our Lord is sovereign, so I am sure that in that generation HIS people were indeed brought into the kingdom.

Today a third of the inhabitants are members of the "Tahitian Choir" which spreads the gospel in their unique language - in their unique sound -- a widening audience (thanks to the worldwide web!) Of course, without translators, the wider audience will not benefit from the message. However, reviewers seem enthralled by the sound.

And now, if those in Jerusalem can just reach their own backyard!

Christmas in Heaven - a short story

The newcomer looked around. Everything was glorious - so very glorious! The apostle John had attempted to describe it, but his words had been but an earthly attempt at describing the indescribable! This was the presence of the Lord!

Or at least it was the "outer court" where saints of all ages awaited the great day of resurrection only hours away (in heavenly terms). In their spiritual bodies the millions visited, reminiscing about the blessing. And lamenting the "mistakes." Here those of whom legends were written met with misguided "believers" with the facts that revealed the truth.

One such saint was Nicholas of Myra. A kindly man who had forsaken the world's riches to serve Christ. In giving away his wealth he had build memories embellished through the centuries. His generosity had been the basis of legends - even "fairy tales" - of annual visits by beings that friends of his day would never have recognized!

"If I could but turn back time," Clement Moore lamented, "I would never have written such nonsense." He spoke, of course of his famous portrayal of "Saint Nick" in "A visit from St. Nick," known around the world as "The Night Before Christmas." Though only a small percentage of he saints present had actually heard this story, the new comers of the past few heavenly "hours" were eager to know the truth.

"Don't feel bad," Nicholas said, "for you were only reflecting the combined fantasies of generations of ignorant people looking for hope and love in a world gone mad."

"But even when we knew it was make-believe," one new comer assured the repentant minister, "we enjoyed the 'spirit' of the story."

"But behold," Nicholas declared, "the Light of the world!" He directed attention toward the brightest light in the universe - where heaven met earth, where eternity touched time. This was the light of the nativity - seen by lowly shepherds in a heavenly army of God's angels, and by distant royalty as a star, which led them to the child born savior of the world!

The Real St. Nicholas

On a day when many question the true nature of Christmas, we speak lightly of a man who has been so distorted by myth and legend. Most will admit that such a man as Nicholas DID exist, but feel that he was insignificant when it comes to Christmas as such. While "Christmas" was not observed in his day, Nicholas of Myra WAS there when the human nature of Christ was "settled" to most of the church's satisfaction. This was at the council of Nicea, when the Nicene creed was first set down on paper. It was subsequently amended, but the first and second clauses stayed essencially then same:

The "Nicene" Creed

We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And we believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Nicholas was a short man, with apparently a short fuse. One story has it that while at the Council of Nicea he was so angry at the heretic on trial, Arius, that he slugged him across the face, knocking him to the ground! He had previously shown this zeal against the pagan worshipers of Artemas ("Diana") - to the tearing down of the temple in Myra - that the church is said to have adopted HER birthday as Nicholas' feast day (since he did not suffer martyrdom).

His kindness and generosity among believers, though, was "legendary." And thus, his nature as a giver of gifts survived through the ages. Read about the saint at the wikipedia article.

Energy Independence

One of the winning points on Mike Huckabee's platform is energy independence:

"The first thing I will do as President is send Congress my comprehensive plan for energy independence. We will achieve energy independence by the end of my second term."

That's right folks, not ten years, but eight! Of course, from NOW it would be ten (2009-2017). But that would mean the Democrats would have to pass Huckabee's plan now to give him a headstart. How about it Senator McCain? Representative Paul?

Well, not friends to the governor, the folks at the New York Times ran an article that supports the NEED he sees. The good folk in the oil producing countries are energy independent in a big way. Within the next decade some of the United States' major suppliers will become importers instead. It seems that they actually WASTE fuel! Go figure, huh?

We CAN do it, folks. With concerned men like Governor Huckabee and U.S. Representative Bob Inglis on the job, leading the way, this goal is possible!

The text of a bill authorizing an "H-Prize" (co-sponsored by Rep. Inglis (R. SC)) is found here.

By the way, my friend Bob Inglis has recently endorsed Mike Huckabee!

On a Cold Christmas Eve

Here is a new twist to "The Night Before Christmas" that I come by accident:

http://jeannies-happy-world.blogspot.com/2007/12/poemplease-reflect-on-it.html

I am not sure of the setting - an officers home in Afghanistan, perhaps - but the sentiment is lovely.

They called it GREEN-land!

Following a link with an interesting headline, I ended up reading about opportunities to fly to Greenland to see "evidence for global warming." It occurred to me that there must me a reason that island is called "Green-land." Indeed, back when the Norsemen discovered and exploited it, it was indeed a large GREEN island with mild winners and short summers. For hundreds of years the colonies there were prosperous!

"Cores taken from the ocean bottom west of Iceland show evidence that the ocean conditions between the 8th and 12th centuries were relatively calm and that little sea ice was present to hinder navigation. The build-up of sea ice beginning in the 13th century correspond with evidence from ice cores whose layers of annual snowfall show isotopic evidence that the 14th century had the coldest climate known in Greenland during the past 700 years."

-- from an article at the Museum of National History website.

This PAST climate change is quite apart from the industrial revolution. For four hundred years - in the middle of the dark ages when NO-ONE had machines and the population was in the low hundreds of millions worldwide! And now, a full SEVEN hundred years later, things are turning around for the giant step child of the Vikings! Maybe we'll be planting winter wheat there to feed the starving BILLIONS affected by rising seas!

Honestly, folks, if we would manage the planet like we are supposed to -- no clear cutting, no wasteful harvesting of wildlife, etc. -- we would not have to worry about the "pollutants" of carbon dioxide and water vapor ("natural" products of combustion). Plants thrive on the carbon dioxide that animals produce as bi-products of simply living. As we release this gas from "carbon" fuels, we are returning the earth to a state it hasn't seen since it was FIRST over-run with people back in "the days of Noah." Those people were evil to the core, but mankind was given another chance. We're it. Let's take advantage of the improving temperatures (where we have them), and try to make this a better, slightly warmer world.