Warning: This article is an opinion piece. Use your own judgement.

What are they up to, really? Obama, Pelosi and Reid, among many others. Far left radicals, all.

I’ve seen a lot of people online asking the question “Why isn’t our government listening to us?”

The answer to that is: they are doing exactly what they intend to do.

They do know and understand the consequences of their policies, and they are proceeding full steam ahead because these things are necessary to achieve their actual goals. They are:

• Intentionally spending this country into oblivion. Irrevocably.
• Devaluing the dollar. I haven’t had a raise in a couple of years, but the value of what I take home has fallen around 15% depending on who you ask.
• Loading every government position they can with far-left, socialist, marxist ideologues (think czars, and others).
• Increasing the size of government as quickly and as much as they can (admitted outright by Barney Frank).
• Attempting to give the government control of all health care (17% of the entire economy). (Cato Institute points out the real cost of this is over $6 trillion, in reality).
• Attempting to pass Cap & Trade – the largest tax increase in history – on the basis of fraudulent science.
• Nationalizing everything they can get away with. Banks, finance companies, auto manufacturers…
• Attempting to destroy or minimize the capitalist free market system.
• Attempting to suppress dissenting opinion (i.e. Fox News and others).
• Breaking MANY campaign promises, such as – taxation; transparency, review period for bills, no earmarks; MANY others 1, 2. In short, Obama never intended to keep these promises – he lied and deceived to get elected.
• Prosecuting terrorists in civil court – in NYC of all places.
• Mirandizing terrorists.
• Not allowing us to develop our own oil and gas reserves.
• Extending constitutional protections to non-citizens and terrorists.
• Attempting to prosecute the CIA for political reasons.
• Bowing to foreign monarchs. Deferential, apologetic, weak foreign policy. Intentionally reducing our closeness with our best allies, Britain and Israel. Not honoring foreign commitments regarding missile shields, etc.
• And probably more that don’t come to mind at the moment.

These acts, combined, appear to constitute an attempt to:

• Destroy the U.S. as an economic powerhouse of the world.
• Weaken the U.S. militarily.
• Weaken the U.S. in terms of foreign affairs.

Each of these things is detrimental to the health and well-being of this country.

Therefore, the goals of these people – are detrimental to the health and well being of this country.

What could their ultimate goal be? Rest assured, they do have a goal. A goal they are not making public.

I personally think that this administration constitutes the greatest threat to the United States of America that it has ever faced.

-Popgun

The Worldwide Photography Gala Awards bestows Honorable Mention to my photograph, Elements, in the 2009 Annual Contest.  To see the image among the other winners, click http://www.wonderpick.com/#/gallery/7/10.

3180 images from 47 countries were submitted, from which 187 winners were selected.  Their works are profoundly breathtaking, and it is a true honor and pleasure to be considered among them.  I invite you to peruse the gallery on the link above.

The images will be published in the BOOK, “WPGA 2009 Annual”, in March 2010.  I will be participating in the EXHIBITION in Madrid, Spain, in March or April of 2010 (to be announced).

About the WPGA (http://www.thegalaawards.com/about.html): “…WPGA hosts the above mentioned Awards to honor talented photographers and as a means of establishing and maintaining a continuing effort to help them further their careers. WPGA recognizes artists’ talent through competitions juried by industry leaders, exposing their work in the media, publishing their work, hosting  collective exhibitions in Europe, Asia and US, and by exhibiting their work to an extensive international audience through WonderPick Gallery, an art portal where selected artworks can be viewed online and purchased (to be launched in early December).”

AND IMPORTANTLY: “WPGA believes in the social responsibility of all business endeavors. Accordingly, WPGA programs also benefits worthy humanitarian causes. The WPGA 2009 Annual Contest supports the international organization, Save the Children. Save the Children will receive 10 percent of the revenue from the Worldwide Photography Gala and 40 percent of the revenue from the sale of prints in the respective exhibitions.”

I was thinking the other day about an interesting way to talk about the essence of the Gospel with my coworkers.  Its sometimes difficult to figure out how to explain the gospel in a way to make sense in different situations and with different people.  I came to the following conclusion, though it may not make sense to everyone who reads it.  And of course every analogy breaks down at some point and I will try to make clear where that is in the following.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ, Christianity is like this:

Suppose that the world is a bank.  And life depends on the amount of accounts that you open.  In order to survive, you must continue to open and fund new accounts.  In this particular bank, in order to applying for a new account, you must have a “profile” created.  A profile is just what it sounds like.  It is basic information about a person, in part merely to identify the person, but also because of federal guidelines, etc.  This profile must be created for anyone who wishes to open a new account.  Before creating a new profile, the banker checks to see if there is an older profile available.  Perhaps there was created years ago from an account that you may not even remember opening.  And perhaps that older account was wrought with negativity.  You had previous insufficient fund charges and/or loans which had been defaulted.  You may have thought that they were forgotten, but they still show up in your profile.  Therefore you would be turned down from opening a new account.  Of course you could try to pay off what was owed from before, thereby freeing yourself from the debt which you owed and enabling you to open a new account.  However if have had too many defaulted accounts, no matter if you could pay it off, you would not be allowed to open another.  If the banker forgets to check for an older profile and creates a new one, the two will inevitably have to be merged together at some later point.  If a merge of two profiles takes place, all of the accounts from the past are put together under one profile.

Now imagine that the owner of the company has a son.  And his son has a profile.  His accounts are perfect, because he has managed all of them perfectly and amassed an infinite amount of wealth [of course diversified].  Not only that but his father has left for Him a number of accounts from his own wealth.  And he has a number of retirement accounts which will never run empty.

Now, when your profile is pulled up, it is littered with those defaulted accounts.  Loans, checking, savings, retirement accounts…all in the negative.  And for that reason, you are turned down from opening a new account.  And you can’t even pay up on those past accounts.  You are jobless, broke and severely in debt.  Furthermore the debtors have gone the extra mile and seek your imprisonment.  Except imagine this imprisonment as a place of eternal torment.  They don’t just throw you into prison, you are thrown into prison and set afire with a substance that burns but which does not consume your flesh.  And you will remain there eternally. That is all you deserve and you have no way out on your own.  It sounds harsh, but again, life is about opening and funding new accounts.  You have failed to live up to the standard.  Not only can you not fund and open new accounts, but you owe a great debt, a debt too great for you to ever repay.  Therefore your punishment must be equal to the crime and this is the punishment.

Now, imagine that the Owner has taken notice of you, merely because he wanted to.  And he decided to rescue you from the penalty of your defaulted accounts.  So instead of allowing you to be thrown into the prison for which you are destined, he sent his son in your place.  His son who had perfect accounts.  His son whom he loved for his perfect life, perfect accounts and faithfulness to his father.   He sent his son to take your place and not only that, but he merged your two profiles.  And because his took your punishment, your debts were forgiven such that all is seen in your profile now is his son’s accounts.  However his son’s accounts were so perfect that though he took your place and your punishment; they could not keep him imprisoned.  Thus he was set free and appointed CEO of the father’s company. Thus because of his faithfulness, in living according to the fathers standards, in managing his accounts well and even in taking your punishment – when he did no wrong – the son is made the judge.  And he will judge all other account holders by his perfect account status.

But for you, now, when the father sees your profile, he sees your sons accounts.  Your old accounts are no more seen or remembered.  All that is visible in your profile is the sons accounts.  You have all of the wealth which the son has, you have his retirement accounts, and you have the good favor and status of the son in the eyes of the father.

The connection should be pretty clear.  The Father is God.  The world is not a bank, but God has prescribed a standard for living.  And going against that standard is a sin against God.  And sinning against God incurs an infinite debt which we can never pay.  What we deserve is the punishment that He has laid down for sin which is death.  However in His grace, He has sent His Son, His beloved Son Jesus to die in our place.  He was born into the world, lived a perfect life according to God’s standard and died for us, in our place.  But death could not hold Him because of His perfections.  Thus He rose from the dead and God has appointed Him judge of the living and the dead.  And He will judge according to His righteousness and anyone who has not been united with Him will suffer eternal torment.  God’s grace to us is merging our accounts with that of His Son.  It is merging our life to His Son such that He no longer sees our debt to Him because Jesus has paid the debt.  However what He does see is the righteous life that His Son has lived.  And that righteousness He will always see when He sees us, and will remember our sin no longer.

Bet you never knew that banking could be so theologically educational.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

“Whoever believes in the Son has life, whoever does not obey the Son will not see life but the wrath of God remains on him.” John 3:36

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly” Romans 5:6

“But God demonstrates His own love to us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.  Much more then having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” Romans 5:8

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins…but God being rich in mercy…even when we were dead, made us alive together with Christ…and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…for by grace are you saved…” Ephesians 2:1-10

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him…In Him we have redemption through His blood [which is] the forgiveness of our trespasses…also we have obtained an inheritance…” Ephesians 1:1-14

Nice to know facts.

This is how to waste your time when you have nothing to do. Thanks to Wikipedia.

This is the list of possible presidential candidates and their educational background.

• Benigno Aquino III, Senator

Elementary - Ateneo de Manila University

Highschool - Ateneo de Manila University

College - Ateneo de Manila University (Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics)

Misc -

• John Carlos de los Reyes, Councilor of Olongapo City

Elementary – Ateneo de Manila University

Highschool – De la Salle University

College - Franciscan University of Steubenville (Bachelor of Arts in Theology)

Misc -  University of the Philippines (Post-graduate studies in Public Administration)

           - Saint Louis University (Law)

• Hermogenes Ebdane, former Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways

Elementary -

Highschool -

College - Mapúa Institute of Technology (Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE))

Misc - Philippine Military Academy class of 1970

• Joseph Estrada, former President of the Philippines

Elementary - Ateneo de Manila University

Highschool - Ateneo de Manila University (expelled in his sophomore year of high school)

College -  Mapúa Institute of Technology (Engineering – drooped after 2years)

Misc -

• Bayani Fernando, Chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority

Elementary -

Highschool -

College - Mapúa Institute of Technology (Mechanical Engineering)

Misc -

• Richard Gordon, Senator

Elementary - Colegio de San Juan de Letran

Highschool - Ateneo de Manila University

College - Ateneo de Manila University (Bachelor of Arts, major in History and Government)

Misc - University of the Philippines (Law)

• Jamby Madrigal, Senator

Elementary -

Highschool -

College -

Misc -

• Nicanor Perlas, Environmentalist

Elementary – Ateneo de Manila University

Highschool – Ateneo de Manila University

College - Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City (Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, major in Agronomy and minor in Agricultural Economics)

Misc - University of the Philippines Los Baños (Masters – not finished)

• Gilberto Teodoro, Secretary of National Defense

Elementary -

Highschool -

College - De La Salle University (Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce)

Misc -  University of the Philippines (Law)

Harvard Law School (Master of Laws)

• Eddie Villanueva, Jesus is Lord Movement founder and evangelist

Elementary -

Highschool -

College - Philippine College of Commerce know as Polytechnic University of the Philippines now (Commerce Major in Economics)

Misc -  University of the Philippines (Law)

• Manny Villar, Senator

Elementary - Holy Child Catholic School

Highschool - Mapua Institute of Technology

College - University of the Philippines – Diliman (Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration)

Misc - University of the Philippines – Diliman (Master’s degree in Business Administration)

Full article here.

As you may have noticed, the economic models that sustained traditional media are in serious trouble.  The technology is now available to publish and communicate ideas much more cheaply.

Nicolas Lemann argues that the vital work of keeping citizens informed about how and what their government does and how their society actually functions (how would you achieve this second goal, anyways…through compulsory education?) is always necessary, and can be explored further by journalism schools like his at Columbia.

“Journalism schools not only can replace the original reporting capability that news organizations have lost, but also can raise the level of sophistication in the practice of journalism. “

A new curriculum can be forged out of the current circumstances that can be a win-win for journalism students and the communities they live within:

“Like teaching hospitals, journalism schools can provide essential services to their communities while they are educating their students.”

That could work…at least he’s thinking on his feet.

Also On This Site: Bill Virgin says newspapers built up their value, and slowly let it die: From The Seattle Post-Intelligencer Via Sound Politics: Why Did The PI Die?..Who Reads The Newspapers?…

Two previous two posts which might have some links of interest:  From The New Yorker: Malcolm Gladwell’s “Priced To Sell”…From The Becker-Posner Blog: The Future Of Newspapers.

Iran is pushing the limits more than ever.
What I want to know is why are we still trying to negotiate? Let’s BOMB THEM ALREADY! We have the technology to destroy these nuclear enrichment sites without collateral damage, so LET’S GET BEHIND THE 8-BALL AND TAKE THE LAST SHOT!

Why is this so hard? Lives will be lost, but not on the catastrophic scale they will be if the Muslims decide to jihad us up the butt.

Come on already! This is simple!

Sooner or later we’re going to be looking at a nuclear terrorist threat “we’re screwed” situation that out-screws any Die Hard movie, and Bruce Willis won’t even be able to save us. I’m serious. I know Bruce Willis is the next best thing to God Almighty, but he can’t stop Iran. Only a good round of “I’ve had enough” resolve and action on the part of the UN or a similarly powerful organization (like, maybe, a country willing to forget about UN parameters and just do the right thing?) can do that.

I’d love to write more, but I have to go finish laying cinder block for my bomb-shelter in the back yard. Happy holidays!

I’m Seth, and that’s what I think. God Bless America, if you feel like it and you aren’t too busy with something else.

It seems there really can’t be a financial crisis in the UK if the government is allowing this while attempting to dismantle biblical studies departments:

The advertised position, in the School of Sociology and Social Policy, is for: “Research Officer – The rise and regulation of lap dancing and the place of sexual labour and consumption in the night time economy”. The advertisement further stipulates that “prior experience of conducting research in the female sex industry” is essential. Having got the post, the successful applicant would work with the school’s team on a research project to examine the “rise, tolerance and integration of sexual consumption and sexual labour displayed through the erotic dance industry”, and the commercialisation of female sexuality and the female body.

I’ve never heard of a dumber university slot in my life.  Has the UK gone completely insane?  Do it’s leaders need to get off the island for a while and marry someone to whom they are not related?

These videos are longer than I usually like to post – 9 minutes and 6 minutes, but the information is jam-packed, concise and important… Please view at least one, preferably both.

See all articles on this topic: ACORN, Ayers, Obama Connection
ACORN Helps Hookers, No Big Deal
ACORN to Have Input Into Obama’s Administration
Banks Ordered to Give $ to ACORN or Offer Risky Loans
Creation of a Totalitarian Regime

CONGRESSWOMAN BACHMANN: … People have had it. When they see what’s going on with ACORN, with this phony baloney healthcare bill … They are voting [the first vote] on a red line piece of paper, something that is all marked up. It’s not even actually written down. It not one word of a law has been written yet and these people took a vote on a bill that hasn’t been written. What’s worse is the federal government estimated how much this bill would cost. You can’t estimate how much it’s going to cost if you don’t have words on a sheet of paper telling you this is the actual bill language. One word can make all the difference in the bill, and they don’t have one word written of an actual legislative language. This is a travesty.
… [T]he dots are connecting between the federal government and ACORN. Very simply this is it: The federal government wrote a law called the Community Reinvestment Act. It demands that banks make loans to people who are poor credit risks. So that law was already passed. [Under Bill Clinton]

Then what happened, the federal government hung a threat over these banks because banks didn’t want to make loans to people who were poor credit risks… if the banks fail to lower their lending standards, then the federal government would shut down their interstate bank branches and they would not allow banks to open new branches. So in other words, the federal government would essentially shut these banks down if they refuse to make bad loans to people who wouldn’t be able to pay them back.

[O]ne way the banks could satisfy their requirement under the Community Reinvestment Act is they could partner with ACORN… So the banks, in order to be in compliance with the federal government, would give payoff money, so to speak, to ACORN in order to stay in the good graces with the federal government. I mean, what else would you call that but a payola?

[T]ake a page, a cue from Barney Frank. Over the weekend Barney Frank told a special interest group, if you want congress’ attention, you melt the phone lines… Trust me, hardly anyone picks up the phone. Hardly anyone makes the phone calls. .. We have to make those phone calls now until the end of the year… saying this is it: You take orders from me; I don’t take orders from you, and you do not pass healthcare and you defund ACORN and you do it now.
[There is] new coalition that is coming together, literally that is a huge tent that is sewn together with the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. The very parchment of those documents is the tent that we are coalescing against. Because what we recognize is as Americans we were given the most precious gift of any people of all time. And that was our declaration. And that was our Constitution. And in one year’s time, in a stunning move, we’ve seen the federal government take over 30% of all private wealth produced in this country. One year ago 100% of private business profits were private. Today 30% of private business profits are owned or controlled by the federal government. An economist from Arizona State University has calculated that since the inception of bailout nation, we have seen the federal government own or control 30% of private business profits… If the federal government lays claim to the private wealth produced in healthcare… that’s another 18%, or 48% of the private wealth. And if they lay claim through cap and trade, what Lindsey Graham is getting on board with, that’s another 8%, or 56% of the private wealth produced in this country. That’s stunning. At that point we are no longer a free market capitalist country.
I’m a former federal tax lawyer. My husband and I have raised five kids. We’ve raised 23 foster kids. We started a business. I had a really good life before I ever came to Washington D.C., and I left being at home with our family because I saw that my 23 foster kids and my five biological kids aren’t going to have a chance, not a chance if the federal government goes down this road.
Source: Glenn Beck Interview, October, 14, 2009

http://www.congress.org/ – easy way to contact your political leaders, national and state, by entering your zip.
United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 – to phone Senators and Representatives

See all articles on this topic: ACORN, Ayers, Obama Connection
ACORN Helps Hookers, No Big Deal
ACORN to Have Input Into Obama’s Administration
Banks Ordered to Give $ to ACORN or Offer Risky Loans
Creation of a Totalitarian Regime

See all articles on this topic: ACORN, Ayers, Obama Connection
ACORN Helps Hookers, No Big Deal
ACORN to Have Input Into Obama’s Administration
Banks Ordered to Give $ to ACORN or Offer Risky Loans
Creation of a Totalitarian Regime

[That] which precedes the suppression of democratic institutions and the creation of a totalitarian regime… is the general demand for quick and determined government action… dissatisfaction with the slow and cumbersome course of democratic procedure which makes action for action’s sake the goal. It is than the man or the party who seems strong and resolute enough “to get things done” who exercises the greatest appeal. “Strong” in this sense means not merely a numerical majority – it is the ineffectiveness of parliamentary majorities with which people are dissatisfied. What they will seek is somebody with such solid support as to inspire confidence that he can carry out whatever he wants. It is here that a new type of party, organized on military lines, comes in.
In the Central European countries the socialist parties had familiarized the masses with political organizations of a semi-military character designed to absorb as much as possible the private life of the members. All that was wanted to give one group overwhelming power was to carry the same principle somewhat further; to seek strength not in the assured votes of huge numbers at occasional elections but in the absolute and unreserved support of a smaller but more thoroughly organized body. The chance of imposing a totalitarian regime on a whole people depends on the leader’s first collecting around him a group which is prepared voluntarily to submit to that totalitarian discipline which they are to impose by force on the rest. Pg. 159

Source: About the source “Road to Serdom” – This book gradually took shape a warning to the socialist intelligentsia of England; with the inevitable delays of wartime production it finally appeared there early in the spring of 1944. – Hayak

See all articles on this topic: ACORN, Ayers, Obama Connection
ACORN Helps Hookers, No Big Deal
ACORN to Have Input Into Obama’s Administration
Banks Ordered to Give $ to ACORN or Offer Risky Loans
Creation of a Totalitarian Regime

I’m finding a lot of grumbling about the health care bill coming to the floor in the Senate. It seems there aren’t too many fans out there. For a while, liberals agreed that compromising on single-payer was the only way to get this process moving.

I’m not hearing that so much over the last few days. The left now seems to fear the law of unintended consequences. There’s a lot of talk saying that the plan might actually have negative consequences and should be abandoned.

This is pretty discouraging,, but still I come down on the side of ‘better than nothing.’ It may be that this bill actually doesn’t solve any of our problems. To me, however, the stronger argument is for ‘a foot in the door‘. Bills can be amended after the fact. But there has to be a real thing to amend. And if we don’t get that something now . . .

Today, at Balloon Juice Tim F isn’t liking it one bit.

From FNC-

A needle exchange program in Puerto Rico is testing a vending machine that provides drug users with clean syringes after-hours to fight the spread of HIV and hepatitis C.

Drug counseling offices that distribute syringes are open only during daylight hours.

The vending machine program targets young addicts reluctant to seek help.

Drug users can get syringes, cookers, cotton filters, gauze and sterile water to prepare drugs for injection by inserting a special card.

At least it’s for people getting drug counseling.  If they leave the program can they still get the needles?

And how long before we surrender to the drug war up here and we see the machines in LA?

In NYC?

In Schenectady!

It appears to be me.

I knew it all along though.  Sure, you can try to hide the fact that you think of me night and day – but it’s going to get out.  This is the internets after all, and there really is no hiding.  Sweden has taken their first step in acknowledging my brilliance, and it’s just a matter of time before other countries follow suit.  It’s only natural of course …fully deserving, and a long time coming.

Don’t believe me?  Check it out for yourself. (click)

——————————–

Thanks to Britta for the link (click).  The flash based video (which allows even you to become a hero!) is sponsored by the Swedish company Radiotjänst, which is charged with collecting ‘TV Receiver’ licensing fees from users (each TV receiver owner MUST pay a fee.)  We in Canada are going through a somewhat related process with local programming vying for a share of cable company revenues.  The problem with local programming here is that aside from the standard half hour news slots (morning, evening, night) there really isn’t any …that is, most of the prime time slots are simply rebroadcasts of US programming – with our own commercials of course.  The CRTC is currently attempting to resolve the situation.

CRTC. Couldn’t that be a four letter word?

I had a lovely Thanksgiving, and I hope the same goes for you all as well.  The menu included turkey, ham, crescent rolls, asparagus casserole, sweet potato casserole, macaroni and cheese, and of course dressing.  For the first time in my life, I helped make it all, and for that reason it was produced much quicker than usual.  We also had apple pie, fudge pie, a turkey cake, and peppermint ice cream.  I ate large amounts of all of the above except turkey, because I hate turkey.

One thing I did (twice) over the holiday was go see New Moon.  I’m not a movie critic, but I do play one on the internet.  Here’s what I thought of it.

The movie, overall, was a significant improvement from Twilight.  Chris Weitz, the director, really did a great job both staying true to the book (from what I can remember), and the actors really carried the film this time.  Last time I thought that the setting was more memorable than any of the actors, and that’s not a good sign for them.

In particular, I thought that Kristen Stewart did a far better job as Bella.  Not only did she not look 11, but she also didn’t chew each of her lines in her mouth before spitting them out in machine-gun bursts.  I attribute this to her breaking up with her boyfriend, Michael Angarano, which consequently means she hasn’t been hitting the pipe.  Remember those days?  Those were dark Kristen Stewart days.  Let’s have a refresher!

Ahh to be young.  I think the picture above goes a long way in explaining her horrible performances in interviews leading up to the release of Twilight, and the absence of such tasteful photo-ops these days explains her better performances in the interviews promoting New Moon.  Call me old-fashioned, or elitist, or a clean freak, but I prefer a showered, un-strung-out Kristen Stewart.  Why not take advantage of a safe municipal water supply?

Basically, she did much better this time around.  Perhaps it’s because she’s dating Robert Pattinson.  Ok probably not, but did you hear the new abbreviation for these two?  Krisbert.  My new favorite word.  It sounds like it could be so many things.  A small English town, perhaps.  (Cockney acccent)  I’m headin up to Krisbert for the chimin o’ the bells!  Or maybe an internal body part.  The doctor said he’s going to run some tests and see if my krisbert isn’t out of whack.  An exotic vegetable?  Excuse me, sir, do you have any fresh krisberts in this harvest?

Robert Pattinson was fine.  I mean that as in acceptable, satisfactory, mediocre.  I wasn’t blown away.  Maybe it was because he was barely in it at all.  But he’s just not my type.  I don’t get the hysteria.  To steal a line from a friend of mine, he looks like a ball of dough dropped in hair.

Taylor Lautner, on the other hand, was A+++++++++++++.  That kid earned his paycheck.  He was a perfect specimen of the male body, and I was happy to spend $8 to see it.  He is a terrible actor, but he’s young.

The other wolves, however, weren’t as ripped.  That was a huge letdown for me.  One of them was even fat, by movie standards.  He had man boobs.  And he was a terrible actor.  Those two things led me wonder if he were possibly related to the casting director, or if said casting director owed him an inordinate amount of money.  There’s no other reason I can think of that that guy would be in the movie.

Apparently there’s some hubbub about the actress that played Emily, Sam’s finance.  She says she’s an American Indian, but she told the movie people that her birth certificate was lost (read ripped into tiny bits and burned), so she could get the part  (will she be running for president soon?).  People think that she’s actually a real Indian, like the ones in India.  People think this because her parents are both Indians from India, which leads people to believe that she’s like them.  A fair assumption, I say.

But the real stand out performance in the movie came from the soundtrack.  It was spot on for the first half, and perfectly adequate for the second.  The editors did a fantastic job with that.

There were also some really silly parts where I laughed when I wasn’t supposed to, and the wig department needs some serious funding.

But overall, I’d recommend this movie to a friend.  So friends, I’m recommending it to you.

In 1830 George Wilson was found guilty of robbery and murder by the U.S. Court in Philadelphia. President Andrew Jackson granted Wilson a Presidential pardon, however Wilson rejected the pardon outright stating it was not a true pardon unless he accepted it. Wilson’s decision left President Jackson in a dilemma and prevailed upon Chief Justice John Marshall for intervention.

Marshall’s decision was “a pardon on a peace of paper, the value of which depends upon its acceptance by the person implicated.” He further stated, “It’s hardly to be supposed that one under the sentence of death would refuse to accept such a pardon, but if it is refused, it is no pardon. George Wilson must hang.” At the appointed time George Wilson, convicted murderer and robber, was hanged; end of story.

One of the supposed roadblocks to accepting Christianity is the question of a loving G-d sending people to hell. George Wilson stands out as the truest example of someone not appropriating the grace of G-d available to all mankind. Could George Wilson blame anyone but himself? Absolutely not. President Jackson’s pardon and Justice Marshall’s interpretation were not the essence of his pardon. The pardon could only be accepted by Wilson.

Nowhere in the Scriptures do we find G-d not extending His love and mercy, being longsuffering toward the sinner ; but each person is judged by G-d on his life and receiving the pardon offered. G-d does not send anybody to hell!

Every citizen of the United States of America should be deeply concerned and even fearful of any “Global Warming Treaty” that is a result of the Copenhagen Global Warming Conference. As I have mentioned on a previous post this is nothing more than an effort to usurp the sovereignty of the United States of America and every other country in the world. If President Obama signs the treaty on behalf of the citizens of the United States, I am fearful that treason would attach itself to such an act. The treaty as it is being parlayed gives into a one world government and oversight by a global body. It will dictate our laws. It will dictate our domestic markets. It will dictate the case law we can use in our civil courts. Such a treaty would be in direct violation to the Constitution of the United States of America.

Every citizen of the United States needs to write to their elected representatives to vote against ratification of this treaty!

The Eco-collective group along with faculty is paying up to 17,000 for a Xeriscape project outside the IB building to promote the education of native plants to students and improve the environmental sustainability at Lethbridge College.

The project first came about when Steve McCrae, instructor of Environmental Sciences brought forth the idea to the first year club last March.  “We were a student group who had been working on some things last year and Steve approached us and we said, yeah, that would be really cool, lets do something, lets get money, lets make it bigger and better “ said Collins.

The College donated 10,000 to get the Xeriscape project started.  That money was used for the hard-scaping, so the rocks and benches were not paid for by the grant.

The Eco collective group also received 7,000 when they applied to a Canada-wide grant program, which receives collective donations from the Wal-Mart Evergreen fund.

Xeriscaping is promoting water conservation using community plants to fill in the gaps.  The rocks came from Frank Slide and everything else is native to the area.

“We’re incorporating a lot of local geology,” says Collins.  Everyone wants green Kentucky blue grass, but if you don’t water it three times a day it will turn brown,” says Collins.

The benefit of native plants is that after two years they won’t need any water as they’re drought tolerant and adapt to the semi-arid climate of Lethbridge.

“We’re promoting water conservation and people don’t realize how precious water is.”

Every plant will have a sign to identify it so you’re not just going to go, oh, that’s a pretty flower,” said Collins.

On Oct. 2 about 30 volunteers showed up to help the McCrae and the eight member Eco-collective group do a planting ceremony.

“We had a day where we were out there digging holes, planting, filling land and running wheelbarrows.”

“All the volunteers were provided with a free lunch.