What's Next?

Well I hope everyone is happy (NOT) to have scuttled a very good nomination. I believe Harriet Miers would have made a very good, conservative Supreme Court Justice. I think it was the Democrats who were getting suckered into supporting someone they thought was a closet liberal, but who really had become a converted conservative.

What next? I suspect the rabid, radical conservatives who wanted a fight might actually get one now. I wish we could have slid one over on the Democrats and liberals without having to risk a filibuster, but who knows now.

I guess we'll just have to wait and watch.

I Think It Will Be OK

I've been perusing the blogsphere reading all the woe and dismay among many so called conservatives regarding Harriet Miers nomination to the Supreme Court. I have one word for them "THINK!". Think before you speak, before you write, before you go off the deep end and scuttle another smart move by our President.

I believe she is a socially conservative Christian with a strict conservative legal view. Check out Marv Olasky's blog over at World Magazine and this article for some clues. She may be a Bush confidant but she is no syncophant. Nobody reaches her level of professional achievement without a backbone: For goodness sake she took on the American BAR Association from within. The more I think about it the personal connection to President Bush is a positive thing: I believe he knows the depth of her personal convictions that will drive her decisions and that she's no fading lily pseudo-conservative.

Regarding her law degree; cut the snobbery. Do you really want a lawyer trained in one of the Ivy League bastions of liberalism? Some like John Roberts rise above it, but better to be free from the taint to begin with. I suspect SMU is a good enough program. Besides as anyone who has worked for a living will tell you it's what you do with your degree after you get it that counts.

I suspect the conservative reaction is as much one of surprise versus any real opposition. At least I hope so. Once people get over it I think they'll start seeing the strengths in what they are reacting to as weaknesses. And they'll thank our President for another very smart choice. He may not be the most articulate President we've ever had, and I do wish he could rein in government spending somehow, but he is looking like one of the smarter Presidents we've had.

FS: Registered American Nubian GoatsA

Break, break for a commercial message:

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We have several registered American Nubian goats we're trying to sell. These are primarily milking goats, with very good dairy bloodlines. Nubian goat milk is high in butterfat content and tastes as good or better than cows milk.

The first is Aurora, a 2 year old first-freshener. She is putting out a little over 1/2 gallon a day 5 1/2 months into her lactation cycle. She is on test and is expected to earn her star in the next month or two on butterfat quantity.

The other two, Lucky and Rosemary, are doelings born this spring. They have very good dairy bloodlines and can be expected to be good, strong milk producers.

Please go to http://yeshuasglory.blogspot.com/ for more details, including prices. We are located in Central MA and can transport within a reasonable distance for a small fee to cover gas. Contact me at kevinjmiller@yahoo.com if you are interested or want more information.

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You may now resume your regularly scheduled programming.

UPDATE: [Bump]

Way to Go Charlie!

I'm not usually one to put sports figures up as role models, but this case certain warrants it. Coaches who are successful at the highest levels of their sport and who have a heart tend to be rather rare. Charlie Weis was one of the big reasons that the Patriots won 3 out of the last 4 Super Bowls, and this I think is the kind of reason why.

RIP: Du Toit's

The Du Toit's have left the blogsphere. I'm very sorry to see them go, particularly without much explaination. Here is what little information that is available. Good luck Kim and Connie and hope you both resurface soon.

What's Next for the SCOTUS

Captain Ed has posted a very insightful analysis of the John Roberts nomination end-game and what it might mean for the next SCOTUS nomination. Given that the rabid BHLs in the Senate have decided to pick up their marbles and go home I really hope that President Bush picks a Scalia/Thomas soul-mate to replace Justice O'Conner. He has no reason to do otherwise.

Who might that be? Captain Ed suggests one name. I think there are a few others that might be good also, as long as their name doesn't start with A.G. and end in Gonzales. One of the women or ethnic minority candidates would be nice, but not required, particularly if it is as a sop to the left. George Bush owes them NOTHING.

We shall see.

Katrina Anthology

This is mostly a list of news sources and blogs with information regarding the mishandling of Katrina relief efforts. There's not much to say, the facts mostly speak for themselves.

• Katrina Timeline
  
• Why the Red Cross, and other relief agencies like the Salvation Army, are not in New Orleans. Commentary from Captains Quarters. Note it is the State not the Federal office of Homeland Security that's restricting access. Could this name similarity be the source of much confusion?
  
• Governorship Compare and Contrast. And which state seems to be getting back on it's feet quicker?
• Senator Landrieu (LA) on FOXNews (with Mitch Gaynor commentary). She has a minor issue with the facts about buses in her partisan zeal to attack the President.
• Are all of Louisiana's politicians daft? Appears so.
• One persons experience with refugees from New Orleans being housed in Oklahoma, and the rebuttal.
• A real Good Samaritan in Mississippi and New Orleans.
• Illegal confiscation of guns in New Orleans. Why?? Commentary by Kim Du Toit, Doc Russia, and Smallest Minority.
• What FEMA is, and is not. It does matter. Also, go back to page 1 of the article for an interesting factoid comparing the response to Katrina versus the response to Andrew in Florida.
• (Sept. 13) Stop Blaming FEMA photo. A picture is worth a thousand words.
• (Sept. 13) New Math (10,000 dead) does not seem to work
  
• (Sept. 13) Thank God for our President! Put the blame where it belongs.
  
• (Sept. 13) Who's helping and who's just talking. The survivors know who got them out and who did not.
• (Sept. 15) Give me windy and rain over heat any day.
  
• (Sept. 15) I wouldn't drink the water, but it ain't the toxic brew we were told.
  
• (Sept. 15) Who's job is it to pick up? It really is poor form to try to blame somebody for not doing something that is not their job, particularly when it's yours.
• (Sept. 18) Reason for the 2nd Amendment. New Orleans residents exercise their rights and protect their property.
• (Sept. 26) As Captain Ed points out truth doesn't seem to count for very much in political attacks, even when caught in your lie. I say no reconstruction money to Jefferson Parish as long as Aaron Broussard is in charge.
  

I'll update this as more comes to light.

A Quicker Way to Have Sealed the Levee

Saw these two posts[1, 2] over at Two-Four about helicopters dropping 3,000 lb sandbags one at a time to seal the break in a levee. Got me thinking there might have been quicker way:


~23 3,000lb bombs sandbags in one pass

~16 3,000lb bombs sandbags in one pass

A couple of passes from one of these bad boys would have had the levee closed up in no time, right?

Black = Mayhem NOT

I was clued into this report from Kim du Toit's blog. As Kim points out if Mr. Levy were writing this:

"I am beginning to believe that black people, no matter where in the world they are, are cursed with a genetic predisposition to steal, murder, and create mayhem."

in America instead of Jamaica he'd be strung up by now. He has some interesting observations but he doesn't really ask why. The "genetic predisposition" line is just a lazy cop-out: "It's not my fault, I'm just black".

I really think it has nothing to do with ones race. The fundamental reason is that people who have grown up in an culture of despair, without respect for authority, without hope for something better are going to react badly in times of crisis.

Too many black people here and elsewhere have been abandoned spiritually and politically. They get a "social gospel" from ministers charlatans like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton that blames others for their personal condition rather than pointing them to the real cure.

Then the BHLs [spit] feed them the affirmative action line causing them to expect something for nothing. Add that to a government welfare and aid system that makes it easier to stay on the dole than not, and you get people who are lazy, demanding and personally irresponsible. Then take away the structure that's been giving to them and you get lawlessness. It has nothing to do really with being black. Put anyone in this situation over time and you will get the same behavior.

Quit blaming your race, or your minister, or your mother, or your neighbor. Get right with The Man, then get to work.

Update: I wrote this then went off to check my usually list of suspects bloggers. Lo and behold here are others that have written on this subject far more eloquently than I. If this post whet your appetite then try these:
From a woman's perspective.
In depth sociological analysis.
Detailed Katrina response timeline. In case you need some facts.

Promotion to Chief

Chief Justice Rehnquist has passed on, God rest his soul. Thank you sir for your service to this nation.

I was going to post some bloviations about who our President might pick to replace Justice Rehnquist and how he might go about it, but he beat me to it. It is nice to see Mr. Bush knows when to take his time and when to move quickly. I think it was a good move, tactically. John Roberts is likely to be confirmed fairly quickly.

I am a bit nervous about putting someone in the Chief seat without a track record on the Court. Nothing I've seen or heard in the weeks since his nomination calls into question his basic judicial conservatism; however, there's this little voice in the back of my head that keeps chanting "Da-vid, Da-vid, Da-vid". I hope it is wrong, but the hand has been dealt so we'll have to see how it plays out.

Stay tuned.

Update: Again, others in the blogsphere wax eloquent:
Captain's Quarters analysis.
New Sisyphus Requium for Rehnquist.

Not Everyone Who Says "Lord, Lord"

I really try to avoid making judgements about another persons status as a Christian. If they claim to be a Christian then I try to give them every benefit of doubt. However, there is no way these people can be considered Christians, regardless of what they call themselves. We as Christians are called to comfort those who mourn, not hold a unrelated protest at the funeral. Even if you believe there is a problem with the gay homsexual agenda in this country, the means of this protest in no way justifies its ends.

I shall be praying that the members of Westboro Baptist repent of their sin and make amends to those they have wronged.

My Kinda Doctor

This seems to be becoming a political correctness watch lately; So much PC, so little time.

This "Live Free or Die" doctor gave his patient the straight skinny and she filed a complain?! And it sounds like the state medical board is actually considering it??! And the AG wanted him to take a course in response to the complaint???! What kind of course would that be? "How to make your patients feel good by lying to them" or "Boosting your patient's self-esteem at the expense of their health".

A patient complaining about being told they had a chronic medical condition that adversely affects their health because they didn't like the news is another example of the delusion that it is more important that people "feel affirmed" than they be told what they need to hear. This is the kind of pablum that has infected most of the public schools: We can't give Johnny the low grade he deserves to get his butt in gear because it might hurt his "self-esteem". It's behind the whole meritless affirmative action mess and many other socialist nanny-state ideas. Sometimes the truth hurts, so we won't tell the truth.

Dr. Bennett is the kind of doctor this country needs more of. Go get 'em Doctor!

More Heights of Political Correctness

From Merriam-Webster Online:

war·rior
Etymology: Middle English werriour, from Old North French werreieur, from werreier to make war, from werre war -- more at WAR
: a man engaged or experienced in warfare

You wouldn't know it from his biography but English must not be Admiral Timothy J. Keating's, Commander of NORAD, first language: He certainly does not understand it. Exhibit one: "Airspace exercises to drop references to U.S. Indians". And where did he get his stars, a Cracker Jack box?

As anyone can plainly see the definition of "warrior" has nothing to do with Indians American Natives. The word predates European contact with Indians American Natives and the fact that it was applied to Indian American Native warriors was really a sign of respect. Similarly the word "brave": Look up what the word means if you have any doubt.

Brave warriors are exactly what members of the military are supposed be, and that even includes NORAD. Warrior has been a term of honor and respect for every military person I've had contact with over the last 20 years. To attempt to remove it from the military lexicon is the worst form of misguided, ignorant censorship based on false information and fallacious reasoning.

Adm. Keating ought to be booted out of the Navy so fast his head swims because he obviously has no clue what it means to be in a warrior military officer. I'm sure he can find a position over at the UN: they wouldn't know a warrior if one landed in their laps; but that's another rant for another time.

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UPDATE: AubreyTurner.org beat me to the UN rant here. I may elaborate sometime, but this is pretty good summary to start with.

Teaching: God's Plan

Today in service we finished going through Numbers in the weekly Torah readings. Our congregation leader at K'vod Yisrael, Ken Levitt, did a very good job of tying together the book of Numbers and showing one of its applications to our life today. Here was one of his key points, in my own words, that I would like to share:

In Numbers we see God bringing order to His people. There is a census to number them (twice actually). God then assigns the tribes and families places to camp, specific responsibilities (Num 3, 4) and their place in the marching order. The Lord gives many other laws and commands in Numbers, all designed to provide order and direction for the people at the current time and in the future.

The Israelites rebelled several times against God's order, most notably when they refused to believe that God could give them the land He had promised. In every case they were punished, but not as severely as was warranted. In the end His commands and directions provided the unity they needed to survive and grow as a people.

In Numbers 33:1-49 we read Moses's log of the journey of the Israelites. There was I believe a reason for each place they went to and stop they made. God had a plan and order for His people. He knew where they were to go and what each was to do. Not everyone did the same things. Each tribe and family had assigned responsibilities.

This same principle applies today. The Apostle Paul reiterates it in I Corinthians 12 where he talks about each person having a specific gift, but not all the same. Although we in our humanness will sometimes (often?) question why we or someone else has a gift we perceive to be better or worse, they all fit together to work God's plan. We should not be like the Israelites in rebellion but exercise the gifts we are given and continually seek the Lord's guidance and direction.

New Heights of Political Correctness

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a fan of men's college basketball. For example, I run a March Madness pool over on Yahoo every year. But this coming year I may not. This madness from the NCAA, "NCAA Executive Committee Issues Guidelines for Use of Native American Mascots at Championship Events", might just be enough to make me swear off college basketball.

How is having an Indian Native American nickname, image or mascot associated with an athletic program abusive or hostile? I just don't understand. It is PC at its worst. Every mention of Indians Native Americans related to college athletic programs that I am aware of is in relationship to their warrior ethos. I would think that is a part of their heritage that Indians Native Americans would be proud of and want celebrated.

There is lots of negative sterotypes and imagery of Indians Native Americans that should be avoided; that of being considered "savages" in past centuries, or the prevalance of poverty and alcholism on many reservations, or even the association with casinos and gambling, but that is not what is happening. The NCAA wants no mention whatsoever of Indians Native Americans. Ridiculous.

There are plenty of other things related to athletics that they should be worrying about instead of this misguided, misinformed interference in normal college affairs. Clearly nicknames of a religious nature are next, then they'll probably go after the weather phenomena names, after that who knows, maybe names with colors in them since they might offend the colorblind.

Have it Your Way, Maybe

Is this a step in the Westernization of Islam, or is it Muslims taking on the facade of Western culture but not the spirit? I guess I should be encouraged to see signs of Muslims taking positive part in the cultural activities of the Western world, but I'm not sure they really are.

First off, if you look at this version you can see it does not appear to be a real Burger King: It's knock-off with a play on the name. Make me wonder who is assimilating who.

Second, it's in France. Put a couple of these in Gaza and Tehran and then we'll see.

Third, and I really hate to think this way, but ... When a Muslim rats out another Muslim that was planning to, or God forbid did, bomb a BKM because of it's "Satanic threat to all true Muslims" then I'll think about considering Islam a religion of peace. There are too many Muslims inciting or committing violence in the name of their religion, or sheltering those that do, for me to really believe that now. I know many Muslims are peaceful people, but I think that's just because there are a lot of generally peaceful people regardless of their religion.

As they say, the jury is still out, updates at 11.

Congratulations Lance!

Lance Armstrong takes his seventh Tour de France. Here are the final standings. Even more interesting to note is that there are 3 Americans in the top 10 and not 1 Frenchman. That's got to hurt in Paris, and I'm glad it does after all the hassle they've given Lance over the years. Not to mention thei behavior over Iraq. They just cannot accept the fact that a Texan can whip them at their own game, and there are more to come.

p.s. Some advice Mr. Armstrong. You won the Tour 7 times by putting together the best team. If you want to go into politics join the right side. Lose the loser J.K. He's the political equivalent of a failed domestique on a toddler tricycle team.

Second Amendment Comeback

This one is good; very good. Here's an excerpt (and it gets better):

"She went into a rant about how violence creates violence, war is for people who don'’t know how to negotiate (or some such BS) and I was waiting for the famous "You can'’t hug a child with nuclear arms"” drivel, but it never arrived. It probably would have except that as she got a couple sentences into her rant, I started unfolding my Shotgun News and that really made her mad.

Her last line something like "And stupid stickers like that one and stupid people like you will never understand and that really pisses me off!" and it was at full volume, so that folks still sitting in their vehicles around us were able to take notice.

I calmly folded my Shotgun News back up and asked if it made her pissed off enough to try and hit me."

I love it when irony exposes hypocrisy.

And We Have a Winner...

We now have a Supreme Court nominee, John Roberts. I'm actually impressed with the wisdom of President Bush's choice, and a little surprised. I really though he might go for a minority. He appears to be very smart,with impeccable legal credentials, a constitutionalist, and a conservative, but not radically so. Looks like President Bush went for a confirmable choice, and very well may have gotten a good justice to boot.

Let the games begin, but I don't think the radicals on either side will find much traction.

Family Prayer Request Update

My father-in-law passed away on July 7th. We are in Pennsylvania for the funeral. Please keep the whole family in your prayers.

Thank you.