Today is a weird day. It only comes once every four years. So, I thought I would put out a totally weird post that I have been holding on to for some time. It starts with a quote from a not-so-well known person. Don’t get consumed by all the negativity in the world. Lighten up once in a while  — January 11,2012  RJ Walters Now I’m not getting a big head here (at least not too much) by quoting myself. I just thought this should be said by someone. It just seems so easy to get totally down with all the negativity … Continue reading Don’t Get Consumed….

Killing someone without government permission is wrong!!  I guess it is just a matter of how you look at things in the world. I ran across the statement above recently and was dumbstruck by it. But after thinking of it a while I realized that from a military and a capital punishment perspective this is how we justify killing the “bad guys”. If the State says its ok to kill then you are justified in doing it! This has to be the primary mentality that allows a military sniper, which by the way is the fastest growing sector of our … Continue reading A Point of Perspective….

‘Star Wars’ universe getting a lot bigger – USATODAY.com. I am a Star Wars junkie, I freely admit it. I find it fascinating to take a peak of a possible future scenario that doesn’t end with us polluting the world beyond livability. I enjoy movies like “Soylent Green” and “Mad Max” but would rather believe we have a rosier future than they portray. Call me a wild-eyed dreamer if you want; I really don’t care. I have recently watched all the Star Wars movies in high def and I usually see an episode of “The Next Generation” or one of … Continue reading ‘Star Wars’ universe getting a lot bigger…

In my three year journey of studying current day Christian organizations I read many books that inspired me. So, in the coming weeks I will be re-blogging some of the posts from my blog at RedLetterLiving.net . I will limit these posts to just things that inspired me in this area. I will NOT be revisiting things that let me down. Here is the first review of a book by Gregory Boyd. He is indeed a profound writer on things pertaining to Christ. <<<Post from August 13, 2009>>>: I just finished the book Letters from a Skeptic by Greg Boyd and I … Continue reading Book Review – Letters from a Skeptic

Most of my life I have prided myself of being aware of what is going on in the world. I often cite the words of Thomas Jefferson who said a democracy depends on an informed electorate.  But, much of my life has also been spent being a contrarian. I am always looking at the majority opinion on things and then looking at opposing views to see if maybe they make more sense.  Sometimes these two philosophies collide; I think that is what happened here. What I am about to say now seems to go against the very grain of my life … Continue reading Head In The Sand….

Source: Young Women Go Back to School Instead of Work – NYTimes.com. “Today young girls are told they can do anything, go into any occupation. But if boys express any interest in traditionally female occupations, they get teased and bullied,” Ms. Coontz said. “Lots of guys are not understanding what’s happening to traditional low-income or middle-income male jobs.” Jobs in the male-dominated manufacturing industry and in other sectors involving manual labor have been, and still are, in structural decline. These careers can also be hard to maintain indefinitely because youthful strength eventually fades. And now many manufacturing workers do not have … Continue reading You Want To Be A What??

Source:  Future of Technology – Foldable electric car debuts in Europe. The concept is based on the electric CityCar created by researchers at the MIT Media Lab, and commercialized by a consortium of automotive companies in the Basque region of Spain…. The MIT Media Lab envisions the cars finding a home in car-share programs where members drive any available ride around the city and parking at widely distributed charging stations.   The cars have a reported range of 100 km (62 miles) per charge, making them well suited for in-city driving in compact European cities already accustomed to small, fuel-efficient vehicles. … Continue reading Future of Technology – Foldable electric car debuts in Europe

The U.S. lately seems to have fallen into the logic that a massive and overwhelming military is necessary to maintain our country’s security.  History has proven that logic faulty again and again but we seem unable to learn that lesson.  Lets go back to David and Goliath. Goliath was the big military giant with all the current day military weapons and David was just a kid with a slingshot. We all know how that one ended. Let’s use that analogy and compare it to where we are today. If we take any other countries military capabilities and compare it to ours and … Continue reading Military Giants…..

“Frugality is one of the most beautiful and joyful words in the English language, and yet one that we are culturally cut off from understanding and enjoying. The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having things.”  – Elise Boulding The above words by Elise Boulding have a very deep and spiritual meaning to me. The very core of our capitalism here in the U.S. is about having things. Without our constant desire to have more than we have our very way of life would be … Continue reading The Happiness of Not Having Things….

Source:  The best God joke ever – and its mine! | Stage | The Guardian. Once I saw this guy on a bridge about to jump. I said, “Dont do it!” He said, “Nobody loves me.” I said, “God loves you. Do you believe in God?” He said, “Yes.” I said, “Are you a Christian or a Jew?” He said, “A Christian.” I said, “Me, too! Protestant or Catholic?” He said, “Protestant.” I said, “Me, too! What franchise?” He said, “Baptist.” I said, “Me, too! Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?” He said, “Northern Baptist.” I said, “Me, too! Northern Conservative … Continue reading The best God joke ever …

There are all kinds of people around today who hand out advice on what jobs will be the most secure in today’s world environment. They say things like nursing  and such can’t be outsourced to another country. But there is now a trend to have surgeries performed in other countries for a fraction of the cost here in the U.S. so I’m not so sure that even nursing is a secure occupation for the future. But I think, if things continue on the way they are now, I have the absolute surest job for tomorrow. It doesn’t take a lot … Continue reading The “Perfect” Job for Tomorrow..

I think I am freaking out with this puzzle stuff (ha)! First I started working jigsaw puzzles for pretty much the first time in my life and now I am seeing puzzle analogies all around me.  When I put the last piece of a recent jigsaw puzzle into place I thought of how it represents life in general. The world is really just one gigantic picture puzzle and all five billion of us on this earth right now are simply pieces that make up the current story.  Pieces come and go but the overall puzzle remains pretty much the same. … Continue reading Pieces of a Puzzle….

I never thought I would see the day I had a few weeks ago. What happened is a puzzle to me.  I never thought I would react the way I did.  Okay, I don’t want to make this into some big mystery (but I kinda did) so I will just come out and say it. My wife has gotten me into working picture puzzles. She has been doing that throughout our 25+ year marriage. She spends hours upon hours sitting at her hobby table working puzzles. She no longer considers anything less than 2,000 pieces to be a challenge.  I … Continue reading This is a Puzzle??

Why do we as a society allow our war machine to gobble up so much of our taxes.  Do we really need to spend so much in money and young people’s lives to be the policemen of the world?? When we quit believing that our security lies in the ability to kill then we will truly be secure. War Is Not the Answer Continue reading War Is Not the Answer.. Spending

In order to make sure you are aware of who wrote one of the most important letters in the Christian Bible I deem it appropriate to make this post primarily about James, the brother of Jesus himself. Some may not realize the history of the person around which I have been quoting as inspiration.  Here is part of what Glo – The Bible for the Digital World says about him:  The author identifies himself as James ( 1:1 ); he was probably the brother of Jesus and leader of the Jerusalem council ( Ac 15 ). Four men in … Continue reading About James…

Behind me in my study is a twelve-foot wall of bookshelves containing many of the books I have read over the years. In order to make room for new ones I regularly clean out all the “technology” books that no longer have any significance. Since I am now back in the Macintosh fold all of the Windows books have been removed. During this latest round of cleaning up I came across a book I have read several times and will now read again. I don’t know if I have posted a recommended reading list here before but if I haven’t … Continue reading Having Our Say…..

  It seems that even though I am deaf I can loudly hear the clock of my life ticking away lately. For that reason I have started up yet another list. If you ask my wife she will tell you that I am first and foremost a “list keeper”. I have lists for so many things I need a list of my lists just to remember them all.  But this particular list may just prove to be the most important one I have made in a while. My latest list is entitled “Things to Do Before I Die”. I know the … Continue reading I Can Hear the Clock Ticking…….

  What causes fights and quarrels  among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle  within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill.  You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.  When you ask, you do not receive,  because you ask with wrong motives,  that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.   These words are from the Epistle of James chapter 4.  James was thought to be the brother of Jesus so he probably knew him almost … Continue reading James and the Battle Within…

Source: U.S. drinking is up, but tastes, norms vary – USATODAY.com. Consumption of alcohol hit a 25-year high in 2010, when 67% of Americans reported drinking alcoholic beverages, according to a Gallup poll. That’s a level unseen since the late 1970s, when 71% of Americans said they drank. I could have told people this condition years ago. Yeah people want to drown their sorrows when things get bad and the last ten years have been pretty bad at least to those of us who don’t have $million accounts.  Just before I turn down my country road I pass “Skidrow  Bar & … Continue reading U.S. drinking is up, but …

If it weren’t so pathetic it would be laughable how these guys will do or say anything to get elected.  It’s time to put on your “Peace” badge Newt and join the Occupiers you thoroughly dissed last week. Continue reading Do Or Say Anything….

via Apple To Announce Tools, Platform To ‘Digitally Destroy’ Textbook Publishing | Epicenter | Wired.com MacInnis sees Apple as possibly up-ending the traditional print publishing model for the low-end, where basic information has for many years remained locked behind high textbook prices. Apple can “kick up dust with the education market,” which could then create visibility for platforms like Inkling. This could then serve as a sort of professional Logic-type tool for interactive textbook creation complement to Apple’s “GarageBand for e-books.” “There will be a spectrum of tools and consumers, and we will continue to fit on that spectrum,” MacInnis opined. … Continue reading ‘Digitally Destroy’ Textbook Publishing….

Source: Billionaire gives $5 million to pro-Gingrich group – Local News – Indianapolis, IN – msnbc.com. The Washington Post first reported the $5 million contribution. Politico reported last month that Adelson was prepared to spend $20 million to help Gingrich. Here is another example of the consequences of the recent Supreme Court decision that “money talks”.  But of course the court said that is just one person exercising his right to free speech. I, and most rational people, would think that the possible $20 million will offset almost a million other people who simply can’t contribute more than a few bucks. … Continue reading Thank You Supreme Court??

George W. Bush Source:  What is George W. Bush Doing Now That He is Not President?. In the two years since he left office, George Bush wrote a book called Decision Points. The memoir was acquired by The Crown Publishing Group and released to the public on November, 2010. The book’s topic is about the 14 most defining and critical decisions he made during his career as President. The former president, who called himself “the decider”,  was paid $7 million for 1.5 million copies and he has been on a national tour promoting it. The book has only been out … Continue reading Is There a Basic Difference Between Republicans and Democrats

This is a picture of a regular occurrence on our road this time of year. Continue reading On The Road in Front of the House….