My last blog of the year. To all of the Veterans, past and present, I honor you. With the following video, this is my salute to you all!
While I had wished many of my friends and fellow journalists a Happy New Year in several recent blogs, this is the one that is actually the most important. My friends, and my dear fellow patriots that take advantage of our 1st Amendment Rights, would not have that right if it wasn't for you, our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines. You all will be in my prayers, and I hope to see you home soon!
Happy New Year!
Wait, one last great tribute to our military men and women:
Thank you, Bubba! You are also a great inspiration for the rest of us that keep our military members in our prayers!
There are many people I want to thank for helping 2008 be a good year, and to thank in advance for a wonderful year to come in 2009. Many people have faced hardships and sorrows in 2008, but it was the friends I have that kept me encouraged to get through the storms I faced. I believe that without a doubt, there will have to be a lot of that love going around in 2009. While many of us may be spared from a devasted economy, wicked weather and other disasters, there will be the few that will need us to keep in our prayers.
Had it not been for WorldNetDaily, I would have never known most of the friends that I have now. I had been an avid reader of the site for quite awhile, when one day, there was this icon with "digg" on it. I remember that day, and always will, as it seemed like just yesterday, but it was in late April, 2007 when I first noticed it. It did not take me long to develop a network of my loved friends once I started submitting WND articles to digg.com.
And it has been a wild ride since then. I then became aquainted with the blogs. At first, I put a lot of time on blognetdaily, a WND forum. Writing about articles and the issues of the day was always fun, and just as enlightening when reading other's comments, or posts. And then came digg.com. Now, I'm not sure if Joseph Farah, founder of WND, would agree that digg has been a good thing. For all the positive things posted on digg.com regarding him and WND, there have also been a hefty and lefty share of WND-haters. The detractors. Uh, I just have to say this: "Can you digg it?"
You see, I love reading commentaries as much as I love writing them. If there has ever been a great advantage of having the Internet (thanks to Algore, of course /sarcasm), we have the ability to share our thoughts with each other. Once upon a time, it was when the printing press was invented that helped to shape civilization. And now, we have the ability to share our thoughts and concerns and epiphanies with each other at light speed. And now, it is a 24/7/365 Town Hall meeting. You gotta love it!
Thanks to my many friends at WND, I was introduced to this new way of communication. I don't know if there is any other way to show my great appreciation for what they do, other than to keep doing what I've been doing! And, right back at them, I hope that they also keep doing what they've been doing, too! And in a gushing way of saying it, THANK YOU, JOSEPH FARAH! You have chosen the greatest writers around to be apart of your crew. Everybody there at WND and Shop.WND deserve my greatest kudos!
More than anything that I've learned since joining digg.com back in April of 2007. I've learned the importance of the people that I correspond with, the importance of being committed to great friendships. I dedicate this post to all those on digg.ocm that have added so much to my life. (Hey, and some aren't even my "mutual friends" - some are people that I could argue with all day, but I love them, too!)
I was just getting my feet wet on digg for the first 8 months in 2007. It was when I started taking it seriously in 2008 that I saw how much it helps to even have some moral support. Stuff happened in 2008 that I hope I'd never have to experience again. The very difficult winter last year, my dog Moochie taking off for an unannounced vacation from her castle in February, a problem with excess water in Cedar Rapids last June, losing my job in June and getting it back in September, and of course the ongoing theme: wondering if what I am doing is going to help anyone... Oh, wait, I forgot - for a moment - about that election thing and the financial blow-out...
And so, am I saying that 2009 will be any easier? Uh, no. In fact.... Okay, I'm not going to go there, but I do believe that all of us together can help each other, just the way I was helped through my storm in 2008.
There's another point that I want to get to today, too. This Happy New Year's message also goes out to people that have not been exactly my fans. But, many of those that do not agree with me, well - I see a lot of good in many of them, too! For me, that has been easy to accept them as friends (to a point). I have personal experience with loving people in my family regardless of their point of view.
In fact, just yesterday I pointed out in a comment I wrote that I will no longer digg down comments unless they are so offensive that I am compelled to report it to digg.com as violations of the Terms of Service. That goes for anyone I know on either side of the aisle. I do believe in tolerance, but I will draw a line in the sand.
With that being said, let me reiterate the fact that my experience on digg.com has brought me in contact with many great people, who I only wish the best for in this next year. It may be difficult, but we can pull together regardless of our personal opinions. Kind of like we were right after 9/11. Know what I'm saying?
Christmas... Is it really "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year"? Is it the "happiest season of all"? For some, it is. For others, it is not. Uh, no, I'm not going to provide any scientific research data. No numbers that you will have to dive through. This is just an observation based on the views of people that I know and love.
For me? Christmas is great! Was it always? Absolutely not!
The one thing that I found out was that many people seemed to have painful memories of this season. And yes, on the positive side, for many people, there have been many joyful memories!
I am one of the vast majority of people that can easily say that they've experienced both sides of the spectrum. There have been many good memories just as much as there have been very sad memories. And then, there will be years when this season results in mixed memories, both good and bad.
Well, I guess that's the way I've looked at this year, to a point. There were, and have been things this year that I know are affecting me, and much of that is knowing what others are going through. I know of people that have recently lost loved ones, and I know of people that are still suffering severe financial hardships from the Flood of 2008 here in Cedar Rapids.
It was after reading Glenn Book's Christmas classic, "The Christmas Sweater," just before Christmas, that I decided that this was going to be a year that I would enjoy every little bit of the Christmas spirit that I could soak in. I decided not to only enjoy the happiest Christmas memories of the past, but I would do everything I could to produce brand new happy Christmas memories. And, in my heart, I succeeded.
Early this week, I happened to come across something new. It was a musical group that I had not heard of before. I recorded it. I put in on youtube.com, and I believe that it is worthy of sharing with you on this great day of the Lord! Here they are, the Annie Moses Band:
Bethlehem, the House of Bread We Three Kings
Do you ever wonder sometimes how it is possible to be joyful in times of sorrow? There's a good chance that you haven't found a way to do that. I'm one of the lucky ones that has succeeded in that effort. I learned to combine the best of the old memories with developing new good times that I won't forget. Here is an example of that, brought to you by "Straight No Chaser":
It could have happened to you in the past... It could be happening to you now... Or, it could happen to you in the future. Whatever it is, I just hope that I can remind you that not everything that happens to you is YOUR plan. No, but you can be joyfull knowing that there is a God that has a much greater plan for you. Make what you want to of this season, but for me, that thought that God gave us the gift of that child, it is what makes this another Great Christmas!
There could have been many stories that would make it to the top of the list for TOP NEWS STORIES FOR 2008. In this case, I'm going to tell you about the top story that directly touched my life, in many ways. And this is a story that really needs to spread across the land. We are all facing a coming crisis that may still be beyond our imagination.
In 2008, and even carrying over from 2007, Iowa had experienced a very brutal winter. Across this great state, many Iowans fell on their knees and prayed, and we had the support of many people across this great land. We've had to endure many hardships.
Despite the great adversities of last winter, we persevered. Iowans are resilient, as are most of the people across this great nation.
Being that this is my "Top Story of 2008," I wanted to make this a good one. That is why for the next few minutes, I'll just let the following videos speak for me:
Maybe the reason for sharing this story today is that we are all facing our storms. We now need to decide where we want to go. In the last video, there was Ashton Kutcher, a good ol' Iowa native. He decided to do what he could to help in his home state. I respect that. Really, I greatly do respect that. They DO make 'm good in Iowa. Joining in the effort to help out Iowans was another Iowa native, Shawn Johnson, an Olympic gymnast.
And better yet, there are efforts going on that you will probably never see in the news. We'll continue to talk about those efforts in the future.
There is a point to remember here. Consider what had happened here in Iowa as an example. As we face further tribulations - personal or nationwide - let's remember that we can all be here for each other. Let's be September 12th people, folks.
Update, Friday, December 12, 2008 In my haste to break this feverish story, one that could not just go viral, but BE viral, I failed to mention the prerequisite reading that would be necessary to comprehend this installment. The background for this story can be found inThe Wizard of ODD. Even though I had left a few clues in this piece - you know, like that underlined text which is normally a link to another page - it seemed that some readers were still left clueless. No, not saying all of you! Just those few... Never mind. Just make sure you have the background for this story before continuing.
I may soon have to go into hiding. I'm now the ultimate whistle blower. I've apparently uncovered that strain of O.D.D. that has gone into pandemic mode, and seems to be a real career killer. And then, I go and discover ground zero. Yes, right there in Illinois! And now, the President-Select is right in the middle of a gigantic storm.
So that you know just how this disease of O.D.D. is spreading, we need to see how there is more than obvious evidence of defiance:
And it all fits. The dots are easily connected. Now, the left side of the talking heads in the media are all claiming that the Governor of Illinois has lost it. And I kind of feel bad; I think I've given them some new type of disorder to explain the bizarre behavior. Oppositional Defiant Disorder, now known as, Obama Derangement Disorder.
When the belief becomes so strong that you are beyond any kind of reality of what you mean to America... When the belief becomes so strong that you would lie to your mom.... It has to be a matter of derangement and delusional beliefs.
I am sure that you have seen how tragic this disorder is. It just seems so obvious when you see people that are ODD. The childlike behaviour of believing in the most unbelievable fantasies. I mean, people that only knew one thing about the candidate, and possible source of this deadly behavioral disease, and that was "hope for change." And yes, if you noticed I said "deadly," you would hopefully know just how profound that was. Because it seems like they are willing to watch the suicide of America happen right in front of them, and not say anything (unless you are Glenn Beck).
This is just the tip of the iceberg.
The ODD pandemic has begun! And be sure to keep an eye out for another symptom: Mass Obamacide!
One thing is certain: Mass terrorist slaughters like the one in Mumbai could happen in the United States. That something similar and on such a grand scale hasn't happened yet isn't for lack of trying on the part of terrorists. As many mass shootings in the U.S. have demonstrated to us (and unfortunately to terrorists as well), our citizens are horrendously unprepared and untrained for a terrorist attack like the one in India last week. And by 'trained,' I mean more than just to dial 9-1-1 and eke out a prayer before being shot.
So, just how fast can you even dial 9-1-1? And what happens if you get voice mail when you call 9-1-1, in desperate need for emergency assistance? And will you even have time to say a prayer?
There was just one problem with Alderman (Alderwoman, to be P.C.) Lyda Krewson's analysis and lack of a solution. Would her husband have been gunned down had the criminal that did it have to wonder if the intended victims could be armed? The following video will answer that question:
So, would criminals be deterred if they had to worry about people having a way to defend themselves? Would the opportunities for a crime to be committed be drastically reduced? You betcha!
And, that is the whole point. When the 2nd Amendment was enacted, though, the need and purpose for the citizens to be armed was in the desire to defend ourselves against enemies, foreign and domestic. Yes, for deterrence! And it worked, at least until the government began regulating what kinds of guns could be sold, and where people could own them. Conceal and carry laws have only brought us restrictions that were greatly increased. And what did we get for that tactic? Columbine? Virginia Tech? Mass shootings in malls across the country?
How long will it be before we have a terrorist attack such as in Mumbai, India? How long will it before an undeterred domestic enemy decides to put America into lock-down - martial law - for an undetermined amount of time?
To answer the question, "Who is for Gun Control in America?": Criminals and the enemies of our freedom, foreign and domestic.
In much of America, at this time of year, the Northern half of this great country sees the wintry weather, and there are always the conditions somewhere during the season where making snowballs, and better yet - the good old snowman - is a common past-time. Well, that was when I was a kid. The perfect time to accomplish such feats is when the temperature is just right, hovering a little below the freezing point. The snow packs very easily. The snow flakes, being big, stick together with little effort. A small snowball can certainly be rolled up into a ball big enough to produce that really weird looking thing out on a front lawn with a carrot for a nose, hunks of coal for the eyes.... Oh wait, that was even before MY time! Okay... almost before my time.
There was a common metaphor I noticed when reading Glenn Beck's book, "The Christmas Sweater" last night. There was the theme of the Christmas like weather, the "White Christmas" as many of us seem to wish for. And yet, in a way of countering that theme, Glenn told about how things seemed to be like an out of control snowball in his young, innocent life. (Don't worry, I won't tell you how the story ends, because I haven't gotten there yet!)
So, this morning, while contemplating the wisdom I've soaked in so far from that book, I realized how much it related to the way things are going in this country. Just as event after event for "Eddie" in "The Christmas Sweater" was increasing in intensity, the way things are going in the U.S. and in the global economy, there seems to be an uncontrollable snowball effect. Yes, the snowball seems to grow exponentially if it is rolling down hill. Who's going to be able to stop it? Funny, but I feel the way Congress is handling the situation, they are sending our kids and grandchildren out to try to lay down in front of the massive, rolling snowball.
So, if there is a way from stopping the growing snowball, rolling down hill, out-of-control, it needs to be us that still have enough strength - we hope - to block it's destructive path. Hopefully, that snowball hasn't gotten beyond our abilities to keep it from crushing our future generations.
I am a Conservative blogger - part of the vast right-wing conspiracy - that is not afraid to tell you what I think about both politics and my Christian beliefs.
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