This is good

"God is only limited by our faith."

Very convicting.

Thoughts

"One of the most naive notions is that politicians are trying to solve
the country's problems, just because they say so---or say so loudly or
inspiringly. Politicians' top priority is to solve their own problem, which
is how to get elected and then re-elected. Barack Obama is a politician
through and through, even though pretending that he is not is his special
strategy to get elected." ---Thomas Sowell

"I'm going to call in the Joint Chiefs of Staff and give
them a new mission, and that is to bring the war in Iraq to a close. We are
going to get out." ---would-be commander in chief Barack Obama, who doesn't
understand that the Joint Chiefs don't have operational command of U.S. forces

Just blame "Big Oil": "Once again, the oilman in the White House is
echoing the demands of Big Oil. The Bush plan [to open more offshore oil
drilling] is a hoax. It will neither reduce gas prices nor increase energy
independence... If the President wants to bring down prices in the next
two weeks, not the next two decades, he should free our oil by releasing
a small portion of the more than 700 million barrels of oil we have put in
the Strategic Petroleum Reserve." ---House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-OPEC)

This really kills me. I don't know how anyone can be this disengenuous and continue breathing. Let me see if I understand this...If we drill for oil and send it along a pipeline to a refinery it will neither reduce our dependence on foreign oil nor will it help ease gas prices. Sure thing Nancy. Give me a break. Just say that you hate the President more than you want to help the American people because that is the bottom line. You would rather bow before the altar of the ultra-liberal environmental hippies than support an initiative that would help millions and millions of hard-working lower and middle class families make ends meet. You aren't here to help. You are here for the ego trip and to try and get re-elected. Don't ever again pretend that you care because you don't. Same goes for my Congressman, Russ Carnahan, who used much of the same language in responding to my pleas to support additional drilling. No one is saying we shouldn't pursue alternative energy sources. We are and we will and that is the long, long-term solution. But we aren't going to be off of fossil fuels in this country for many decades so can we please actually take some action and start looking out for our economic interests. Why is Congress' approval rating in the single digits under Democrat leadership? Gee...I wonder.

"Syria is an amazing country. It is not at all what I expected... I've never felt safer." ---Barbara Walters of ABC's "The View" on her trip to Syria ++ "So where does this misconception come from that Syria's an issue?" ---The View's Whoopi Goldberg to Barbara Walters ++ "Well, first of all the country is on our terrorist list. They are against the war in Iraq... And they are neighbors and friends of Iran... And they are friendly with both Hamas and Hezbollah who are two groups that we consider unfriendly groups [truth in labeling: terrorists] in Israel... They have
also been accused of allowing people and terrorists to cross the border into
Iraq. They say they do not do that and they haven't and they've really cut
down on it." ---Barbara Walters

Which is it Babs...they don't do it or they cut down on it? Tough to keep the lies straight ain't it? I think it is time to take "The View" off the air. Is this really helping the women of America?


Upcoming topics:

Childlike faith
Jesse Jackson

Example of BAD Flip-Flopping

OK...remember that I said good flip-flopping could arise when a point of view is changed after receiving new information or having a change of perspective from a new eye-opening experience? Here is the opposite of that:

In an interview last week Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) made a statement that "mental distress" is not a sufficient reason for a woman to have an abortion. If Senator Obama had stuck by his assertion that would have been a dramatic policy shift both for him and for the pro-abortion Democratic Party. The junior senator from Illinois quickly "revised" his remarks in an attempt to both backpedal on his comments and to further muddy his extreme views on abortion. In his interview Senator Obama gave a false description of the bill he repeatedly worked against while he was in the Illinois state senate, legislation that would have protected children who survive abortions.

This is classic pandering. I will say one thing to one audience and something completely different the next day to a different group because I want all of their votes. This is what happens when a far-left candidate tries to move toward the center to position himself for the general election. You get inconsistencies in the message. It's the same thing as when Bill Clinton would change his hair color to appeal to different audiences. It's pretty impressive when your lying skills even extend to the color of your hair.

Barack - this ain't gonna work. Just pander to the people who voted for you over Hillary and hope for the best in November. This kind of nonsense you are pulling now is going to get you despised by both ends of the political spectrum.

Happy 4th!

This isn't really going to be a patriotic post. It's important to celebrate the birth of this country and to remember how it started and the numerous blessings God has provided along the way. It's also important to be realists about where we are at now...that although there is still a lot of good left it is being crowded out by forces that the founders never intended and God never wanted. Our part is to simply do our part.

So, what's new...Definitely enjoying the warmer weather. It's wonderful. I like being tan and feeling vibrant and healthy. It's very life affirming. After all, the Garden of Eden had to be quite temperate, right? Adam and Eve weren't running around naked in an Arctic environment.

Tough market again. All the issues that plagued us in the beginning of the year are once again in focus as banks and housing and energy and food prices dominate headlines and the minds of traders. Israel and Iran jawbone at each other. I can't help but think of Armageddon everytime I see Iran and the West going at it. Kinda keeps things in perspective. As to surviving in this market - it's not a great secret. Buy companies that hold hard assets - oil, coal, precious metals, etc. It's worked for quite awhile now and shows no signs of abating. $145 oil may not be good for the consumer but it ain't bad if you are in the exploration and production business. We are definitely seeing a great wealth shift from West to East and that will have far reaching consequences going forward.

Been suffering through a bit of a depression lately. I finally figured out that it is part of the grieving process from the end of a relationship not too long ago. I went through a few weeks of intense anger and resentment and I am glad that most of that is over. I am looking forward to the acceptance stage and having this mental and emotional drain behind me. It's the great irony...The ones we care about the most are the ones who end up hurting us the most because if we didn't care about them we wouldn't be so deeply hurt when their words and actions turn against us. It's just unfortunate when you give everything you can to someone and not only is it not enough for them but they actually fail to appreciate and respect everything you have done.

I'm tired of hearing the constant whining of political pundits about either Obama or McCain flip-flopping on issues. Yes, it's nice to know where a candidate stands and to be able to depend on that although I'm not sure that happens much anymore. But isn't it also good for someone to change their mind when new information comes to light or a more worldly perspective is brought about through new experiences? I don't mind someone changing their mind on an issue as long as they have a good reason and explain their new outlook clearly. We should all have morals and values that stand the test of time but to never have any new thoughts or ideas on important issues shows either an inflexible mind or the lack of pursuit of knowledge.

That will do it for now. Margaritas tomorrow. Get excited.

Today's Little Nugget

"Throughout history, people have focused too little on the opportunities that problems present in investing and in life in general." - John Templeton

Save Tibet?

So Sharon Stone is in trouble with the Chinese for saying the recent earthquake that took the lives of tens of thousands was the result of bad karma for the way they have treated Tibet. Well done Sharon. Way to use the tragedies of multitudes to somehow back your vacuous agenda. For once, the Chinese have a legitimate reason to be upset. Although...do they really care what Ms. Stone has to say? Not sure anyone over here does. I think I saw her career on the side of a milk carton recently.

What is it about Tibet that so many of the hippy ilk seem to be drawn to? Even here I see the occasional "Free Tibet" bumper sticker. Do these people know anyone in Tibet? Have they ever been there? Do they really have any idea what is going on besides hearing somewhere that the evil Chinese are keeping them from true freedom? Could they even find Tibet on a map? I can only imagine the level of angst this issue is causing those poor people in Hollywood.

If you want a real cause to support how about visiting someone in a nursing home or bringing food to a hungry family? Use your energy on something of substance and make a real difference in the world. The Dalai Lama doesn't need your support. A lot of other people here do.

Let us not forget...

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.