Obstruction…The Definition
From FaceBook….. Continue reading Obstruction…The Definition
Month: June 2014
You Have To Use Them…
I heard a comment recently that has stuck to me. It went like this You can’t just say you have rights, you have to use them to prove you have them” I know of so many people who scream about the first amendment right to free speech but then villainize those who speak out against things that they don’t agree with. It seems, at least … Continue reading You Have To Use Them…
Christianity Solves All Your Problems….
This is a continuing post based on the Stephen Mattson’s post over at Red Letter Christians on the misconceptions of Christianity. 5. It Solves All Your Problems Christianity isn’t a magic cure for sickness, broken relationships, abuse and injustice. It’s not meant to be a quick-fix solution to everything that’s wrong in your life or the lives of others. Unfortunately, many interpret Christianity as a … Continue reading Christianity Solves All Your Problems….
Because We're Afraid…
A little tidbit from my friends at RoadTrip Nation on Facebook. Continue reading Because We're Afraid…
NYC…
I am going to spend the next few Saturday posts reporting on my recent trip to New York City. It was an enlightening time for me. I learned some things about myself that I didn’t appreciate before. When we lived in central New Jersey at the end of the last millennium my wife fell in love with Central Park. She has talked about it many … Continue reading NYC…
Yin/Yang and American Culture….Winning…
This is another post based on the book “Yin/Yang and American Culture: The Paradox”. This one will be about our obsession with winning and competition. No doubt competition has produced for the United States some of the best professionals, the best products, and the best business practices in the world. Nevertheless, there is a downside to Americans’ emphasis on winning at any cost. The pressure … Continue reading Yin/Yang and American Culture….Winning…
Growing Up…
As youth we all want to grow up or at least grow as fast as we can. We desperately want to get there. We grab as many opportunities as we can. But growing up means we have to leave some people behind. Sometimes we make the choice not to grow up for that reason. We just don’t want to end up alone. Some people can’t … Continue reading Growing Up…
Republican leaders to block US immigration measure
Despite a wide coalition of business, labor, religious groups, farmers and others pushing for an immigration overhaul, many individual Republican House members who represent largely white districts have been unmoved. SOURCE: Republican leaders to block US immigration measure – Yahoo News. After so many years of a stalemated government there are so many things that need changes. We are stuck in the 20th century practices … Continue reading Republican leaders to block US immigration measure
Requirements….
I wonder how many people know the requirements to be a member of the U.S. congress? I must admit that I didn’t until I looked them up for this post. As usual here is what Wikipedia says about this topic. U.S. House Qualifications: Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution sets three qualifications for representatives. Each representative must: (1) be at least twenty-five years old … Continue reading Requirements….
103 suspected gang members charged in NYC case
“These three gangs were not sophisticated drug-trafficking organizations,” said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance in announcing the two indictments. “Far from it, they were young people protecting their territories from imaginary threats and avenging the murders of fellow gang members and loved ones.” Investigators from Vance’s office worked with gang squad detectives and Department of Correction officials to review more than 1 million Facebook pages, … Continue reading 103 suspected gang members charged in NYC case
Christianity is Always Fun and Happy…
This is part 3 of my series based on a post by Stephen Mattson on the seven misconceptions of Christianity. It’s Always Fun and Happy Christianity can be full of joy, but it can also be really hard.Following Christ demands sacrifice. It involves giving, helping, volunteering and participating in difficult work. The main tenant of loving others is hardly ever easy, and the Christian life … Continue reading Christianity is Always Fun and Happy…
Pleasant Hill….
One of the most peaceful places I have found on this earth is at Pleasant Hill Shaker Village near Lexington KY. It is a recreated village from the 1800s. One of the concepts I have adopted from my Quaker friends is the idea of “centering down”. That is to clear your mind of all the clutter of daily activity in order to listen for the … Continue reading Pleasant Hill….
Yin/Yang And The Idea Of Equality…
This is the next segment in my series of yin/yang and how that relates to American culture. These initial posts are for the most part the positive aspects of our culture. It is appropriate that I start here so that you can understand that later I am not attacking our culture so much as showing were we could improve even more. This post is about … Continue reading Yin/Yang And The Idea Of Equality…
Giving Up Cable/Satellite….
A TV-streaming device. All this talk about canceling your cable is great — if you still have a way to watch TV on your TV. Thankfully, there are now several options for streaming devices that bring services like Netflix and Hulu to your living room TV. Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire are all options to check out. Each requires a one-time initial investment, usually … Continue reading Giving Up Cable/Satellite….
The Great Regulator…
Who would ever have guess that the title of the “Great Regulator” would be a Republican! That seems totally impossible in today’s world! But that is indeed the case. A hundred years ago Teddy Roosevelt was just that person. He was also called the “Trust Buster” as he took down many of the extremely wealthy of his day. He was also the one who put … Continue reading The Great Regulator…
Injured Warriors….
It has happened throughout humanity’s history. When our country/tribe feels threatened by one thing or another and we go to war many of our young men rush to enlist.They see adventures in war. They think it will turn back the boredom of their daily lives. I don’t think there has been a teenager in existence that doesn’t feel a lack of stimulation during those … Continue reading Injured Warriors….
What Is It About Texas???
Tea Party cruises to wins in Texas Republican primary runoffs Texas Republicans aligned with Tea Party darling Ted Cruz were projected to win primary runoffs on Tuesday for two of the state’s most powerful posts, SOURCE: Tea Party cruises to wins in Texas Republican primary runoffs – Yahoo News. What makes Texas so different from the rest of the U.S.? They seem to be off … Continue reading What Is It About Texas???
Could Use A Little More Micromanaging…
I can’t help but think that if you’d stayed a little longer, we might have avoided the Crusades. Or the Great Schism. Or that time we used the Bible to justify slavery and invoked “Manifest Destiny” to slaughter women and children. We’ve made a mess of things, Jesus, often in your name. We could use a little micromanaging. SOURCE:From the Lectionary: An Open Letter to … Continue reading Could Use A Little More Micromanaging…
Saturday @ NYC..
This was taken from our hotel room on Friday night here at a hotel on Times Square. Can’t imagine what tonight will be like. Walked too much today but have more tomorrow. We will tour the 911 Memorial and museum along with Central Park. Getting too old for this stuff but figured this is our last change… Continue reading Saturday @ NYC..
Williamsburg VA….
Being a U.S. history buff Williamsburg VA is one of my favorite places to visit. I first visited there during my senior trip in high school in 1965. Of course back then I was more interested in other things so even though it impressed me on some level it was “no big deal”. It would be over twenty years later that I thoroughly fell in … Continue reading Williamsburg VA….
Yin/Yang And Creativity….
Many of the world’s greatest inventions are credited to Americans, from the telephone to the computer. Anesthesia, the miracle of painless surgery, is among the greatest gifts that American medicine has given to humanity. The invention of the safety device on passenger elevators by Elisha Otis in 1852 led to the construction of skyscrapers and encouraged metropolitan growth around the world. Nylon , the first … Continue reading Yin/Yang And Creativity….
Senate backs bill to improve health care for vets
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who drafted the bill with Sanders, called the bill “a beginning — not an end — to the efforts that must be taken” to address the crisis affecting veterans’ health care…. The Senate bill, like the House measure approved Tuesday, would let veterans facing long delays for appointments or living more than 40 miles from a VA facility choose to get … Continue reading Senate backs bill to improve health care for vets
Our National Anthem….
Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight, O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled … Continue reading Our National Anthem….
How Did The Mostly "Empty" States Become States??
I have heard the statistic that the people in congress who represent less than 10% of the population are the ones who are stifling most of the legislative progress needed in this country. I am thoroughly aligned with the concept of “The tyranny of the majority” where it is necessary to prevent the majority of people from doing substantial harm to a minority group simply … Continue reading How Did The Mostly "Empty" States Become States??
Those Words…
We ask all Republicans to come together to defeat extremist Hollywood liberal Allison Lundergan Grimes this fall.” SOURCE: Conservative Groups Spin a Loss in Kentucky Senate Primary – ABC News. I see where Mitch McConnell escaped the attempted siege of the Senate Minority leader recently. The words above are part of his victory speech. Even though this quote is about politics, this post is not … Continue reading Those Words…
Today I Celebrate…
Today I celebrate the anniversary of one of the major milestones in my life. Forty four years ago as a young naive recently graduated engineer I left the Purdue University campus to take my place in the corporate world. It was a very different world back then than what it is now. Corporate Loyalty – I would over the years become very loyal to the … Continue reading Today I Celebrate…
All Christians Believe the Same Thing..
This is part 2 of my series based on a post by Stephen Mattson on the seven misconceptions of Christianity. Everyone Believes the Same Thing Beyond a basic belief of Jesus being divine, Christians hardly agree on anything. Common practices such as baptisms, communions, confession and even worship styles are hotly debated, and Christians are divided into hundreds of denominations, thousands of churches and endless … Continue reading All Christians Believe the Same Thing..
NYC….
We will soon be off to another visit to New York City. It is on my wife’s bucket list to see the 911 Memorial and to visit Central Park one more time. We lived in central New Jersey between 1996 and 2000. Over that time we made several visits escorting relatives into the city. Our last trip to the World Trade Center was in January … Continue reading NYC….
VA Epilogue..
As an addendum to Monday’s post about VA hospitals I see where Senator John McCain and Senator Bernie Sanders have a bill before the Senate to allow veterans access to the Medicare system when they can’t get appointments with a VA hospital or live more than 40 miles from a facility. This could be the first step in actually accomplishing my proposal of merging the … Continue reading VA Epilogue..
The Yin/Yang Differences Between America And Asia – Dreams
Nothing is more distinctive than Americans’ disbelief in impossibilities. Every day Americans receive invitations to dream big dreams, and they give the traditional exuberant American answer, “Why not!” In contrast, many Asians believe that things happen as a result of fate: their success or failure in life, work, and marriage is determined by the year, month , date, hour, and place of their birth. Because … Continue reading The Yin/Yang Differences Between America And Asia – Dreams
What Happens???
WASHINGTON — It’s entirely up to House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) whether 2.6 million unemployed Americans get their benefits back, at least according to the two senators most involved in legislation to restore the compensation. SOURCE: Unemployment Extension In Boehner’s Hands, Says Heller. It troubles me that so much power is being concentrated in so few people. When one person can decide whether millions will … Continue reading What Happens???
60 years of Political Gerrymandering
What’s at stake, after all, is citizens’ representation in Congress. Partisan gerrymandering undermines the whole notion of a representative government. For proof, just look toward the lopsided seat distribution in the current Congress. SOURCE: What 60 years of political gerrymandering looks like – The Washington Post. I don’t know if gerrymandering was a foregone conclusion when our democracy was formed. Everyone wants to take … Continue reading 60 years of Political Gerrymandering
Want to Retire Early? Ditch the Middle-Class Mindset…
Meet the Johnsons, a family of five recently profiled by The Washington Post. The Johnsons live in Culpepper, Va., and bring in $90,000 per year — a full 55% above the median household income for the town. Based on this alone, you might think mom and dad are prime candidates to retire early. Then again, the family has to pay the bills. All three daughters … Continue reading Want to Retire Early? Ditch the Middle-Class Mindset…
VA Hospital Problems….
Shinseki reiterated other steps he’s taken, including putting the leadership at the Phoenix facility on leave and ordering a “nationwide audit of all other major VA health care facilities to ensure understanding of, and compliance with, our appointment policy.” Some question whether removing Shinseki would address the core problems at the VA or simply serve as a distraction for now.”Is him resigning going to get … Continue reading VA Hospital Problems….
Christianity is Political…
I am going to spend the next seven summer Sundays talking about one post from a fellow blogger. That blogger is Stephen Mattson. He is one of my favorite writers over at Red Letter Christians. He is a relatively young man who has wisdom way beyond his years. He is also able to express himself in plain and simple yet very effective words. I certainly … Continue reading Christianity is Political…
RJ's Corner 