Could I be next?

Everyone who knows me knows I like my coffee. (No more than a couple of pots a day.)
And the "food" I miss most since my diabetes diagnosis is regular (sugar-sweetened) Coca Cola. So, naturally, this headline caught my eye.

Man Dies Of Caffeine Overdose

(OK, the headline wasn't really that large but it looked like that to me.)

As it turns out, this genius in Mansfield, England, took two spoonfuls of caffeine powder he bought over the internet, a level of caffeine 32 times the recommended maximum dose and 70 times more than is usually found in a high-energy drink.

Who takes caffeine straight without a mixer? And that amount of caffeine would make even Al Gore act like a chihuahua caught in a clothes dryer.

I am going on record to nominate this guy for a Darwin Award.  It's only fair, he earned it the hard way.

A political candidate who takes a stand, Missy Smith

Missy Smith, Republican candidate for the Washington, D.C. U.S. House of Representatives seat, has taken a stand against abortion. Her ads hurt because they're true.  Amazing that those favoring abortion say it's just tissue but don't want anyone to see the results of the "procedure" because the pictures make the truth clear -- abortion kills a child.

A member of the Tea Party movement, Ms. Missy says she's "a tea party activist who hates big government, high taxation, socialism, and government bailouts; but she knows that the number one duty of true patriots is to end the legalized slaughter of unborn babies."

Among the people who've endorsed her is Norma McCorvey, the Roe of Roe vs. Wade.

Nice to see a politician who leaves no doubt where they stand. God bless Ms. Smith.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. Psalm 139:12

Before I formed you in your mother’s womb ¹  I chose you. ²  Before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.  Jeremiah 1:5

For a more about the Biblical view of life and abortion, see http://www.biblestudyguide.org/articles/abortion/life-womb.htm

Leah's favorite politician -- Sarah Palin

My daughter, Leah, really likes Sarah Palin. Leah, Laura, and I went to see Governor Palin speak in Salem, Virginia, during the last presidential election campaign. The girls got really excited and enjoyed our field trip. Leah and Laura got shirts to commemorate the occasion and Leah still sleeps in hers. (They got small adult shirts because there were no children-sized shirts.)

This is an interesting article from The Washington Post entitled, "Five Myths about Sarah Palin."  The five myths are:

1. Palin cost McCain the 2008 election.
2. Resigning as governor was rash.
  3. Palin and the tea party are destroying the GOP.
  4. Palin is extreme.
  5. Palin is unelectable.

I agree that these are myths.


Sarah Palin conducted herself with poise and grace while suffering the  most shameful and shameless personal attacks in recent American political history.   And she even had the ability to keep her sense of humor. Remember her appearance on Saturday Night Live?  If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and watch it. I'm sure you could use a good laugh.

Want something else to worry about? Another nut job wants a nuke.

Hugo Chavez, crazed Anti-American leader of Venezuela, wants a nuclear reactor.  Now bear in mind, Venezuela is the world's sixth leading oil exporter and Chavez has ruined the economy so they don't need the energy.

The loco leader of Venezuela has  accused the United States of causing the earthquake in Haiti with a "tectonic weapon."  As further proof of his bad intentions,Hugo Chávez has started the biggest arms build-up in Latin America in a long time. So, he wants an offensive capability and has a fixation for weapons of mass destruction. I wander what such a guy could possibly want with a nuclear reactor.

You can tell a lot about Chavez by the rotten company he keeps:  He's not only a  fan of Fidel Castro, he is also a friend.  Chavez supported Saddam Hussein.  He received the "Higher Medal of the Islamic Republic of Iran" from Mahmud Ahmadinejad leader of Iran, yet another rabid anti-American.

Inside Venezuela, he has wrecked the economy and destroyed a free media turning  a democracy into a dictatorship. In support of his despotism, he has created a private militia that serves him directly, a million men who answer to him and not to the command of the Venezuelan army. Sounds a lot like Adolf Hitler's SS, doesn't it?

So why is Russia helping this guy build a nuclear reactor? The world is a dangerous and crazy place.

P.S.
I don't want to miss the opportunity to actually agree  with Nancy Pelosi, Democratic House leader, on something: "Hugo Chavez fancies himself a modern-day Simon Bolivar, but all he is is an everyday thug."

take the Bible seriously and some people get mean

I recently got involved in discussing a newspaper article about local "ghostbusters."  People were outraged that I would use the Bible as a source. They never refuted my facts but they attacked me. Read the comments. I think it's cute that these folks are attacking my intellectual abilities. So much for being in the "Bible belt."

Looking for a Christ-centered church in Danville, Virgina?

If you're looking for a Christ-centered Church in Danville, Virginia, or if you'd like to hear Biblically sound preaching, check out the Tabernacle.

You don't have to wear a tie -- you can sit by me and I don't wear one. But come to be fed meat or convicted  not to have your ears tickled. Lamarr Mooneyham brings the Word of God and he doesn't pull punches.

Let me know you're coming and I'll save you a seat.

Israel's ongoing fight to survive

The Israeli government is trying to amend the national Pledge of Allegiance to include recognition of Israel as a "Jewish and democratic state."  I agree with Danny Ayalon, deputy foreign minister and an Israel Beiteinu MK,

There is nothing wrong with asking prospective citizens to pledge allegiance to the ‘Jewish and democratic State of Israel.’

 and

Those non-Jews who become citizens need to fully appreciate that the State of Israel is the national expression of the self-determination of the Jewish people.

While there is a lot of media and political debate about this, the latest number on a Jerusalem Post poll,  64.71% for the measure, suggest that it has popular support.  Let us hope the Knesset passes it.


All Christians should support Israel  From Abraham onward God has promised that He will bless those who bless His chosen people.  America has from its founding been a friend of the Jewish nation. (Not perfect, admittedly.)  This is one reason God has so richly blessed America.

These promises are also God's assurances that, in the end, Israel will survive and prevail.

Israel and American share similar values. Israel has been a steady and loyal friend of America.   We need to stand by our friends.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, support Israel.

Shameful South Fulton Firemen, a stain on the honor of true firefighters

Firemen are overwhelmingly numbered among the heroes and good guys. Many have given their lives in service. It's a shame when a few disgrace their hard-earned reputation.  There's no other word than shameful for allowing a person's home to burn just because they're not on the "paid" list.  I will leave the callous shirkers of South Fulton to the mercy of their consciences but to the heroic, hard-working majority, I say, "Thank you."

We don't deserve them ...

Most days the headlines are full of crime and dishonesty. Much of our society is corrupt and too many of our leaders and celebrities are moral failures. But some Americans still stand tall and true. Example: Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller, U.S. Army Special Forces. 

Sgt. Miller, in Afghanistan, found himself and his unit

    Surrounded on three sides by more than 100 enemy soldiers armed with machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and automatic rifles, the Afghan troops broke and fled. The U.S. soldiers, part of an Army special forces unit on a reconnaissance mission, were pinned down.
    Staff Sergeant Robert Miller had been walking point and was separated from his unit. He was armed with a lightweight machine gun that could fire up to 1,000 rounds per minute.
    Miller made a quick decision.
    He charged.

    Miller ran toward the enemy, where machine guns and assault rifles were cutting down the retreating troops. He killed or wounded 10 enemy soldiers.
    But in the darkness of the valley, the sound and muzzle flash of Miller's weapon pinpointed his position. With every burst of fire, insurgents trained their aim on him.
    Miller continued charging forward, tossing hand grenades and firing at the enemy soldiers hidden in the hills overhead. His comrades say Miller's charge kept them from being flanked.
    Miller kept moving, tossing grenades, killing or wounding four more, destroying their firing positions.
    Seeing that his team was safe for the moment, Miller finally moved for cover.
    As he ran, a bullet hit him in the chest. At about the same time, his commander, Cpt. Robert Cusick, was hit, also in the chest.
    Still alive and armed with the unit's only machine gun, Miller kept firing as his team bounded back.
    Even as his unit fell back, Miller continued forward, crawling in the snow. His unit couldn't see him but the dust and debris from enemy grenades and bullets made it easy to know where he was.
    During the next 25 minutes, Miller was shot again in the chest.
    Now mortally wounded, he continued to give reports of the insurgent positions. He threw his final grenade and fired the last of his ammunition.

His official citation for the Congressional Medal of Honor describes the action:

As the group neared the small, steep, narrow valley that the enemy had inhabited, a large, well-coordinated insurgent force initiated a near ambush, assaulting from elevated positions with ample cover. Exposed and with little available cover, the patrol was totally vulnerable to enemy rocket propelled grenades and automatic weapon fire. As point man, Staff Sergeant Miller was at the front of the patrol, cut off from supporting elements, and less than 20 meters from enemy forces. Nonetheless, with total disregard for his own safety, he called for his men to quickly move back to covered positions as he charged the enemy over exposed ground and under overwhelming enemy fire in order to provide protective fire for his team. While maneuvering to engage the enemy, Staff Sergeant Miller was shot in his upper torso. Ignoring the wound, he continued to push the fight, moving to draw fire from over one hundred enemy fighters upon himself. He then again charged forward through an open area in order to allow his teammates to safely reach cover. After killing at least 10 insurgents, wounding dozens more, and repeatedly exposing himself to withering enemy fire while moving from position to position, Staff Sergeant Miller was mortally wounded by enemy fire. His extraordinary valor ultimately saved the lives of seven members of his own team and 15 Afghanistan National Army soldiers.

And his citation from the highest Authority, 

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.  John 15:13

We do not deserve to be blessed with such men, but I thank God for them.  To the family and friends of Sgt. Miller, I pray God's peace. To my father and all the other men and women who have so proudly defended us, I say, "Thank you and God bless."

With friends like these ...

Former Democratic Vice President Walter Mondale said that President Obama relies too much on teleprompters -- which Mondale called "idiot boards" -- when speaking to the American people.

Apparently, with his poll numbers down, his own party no longer considers President Obama to be such a genius or great orator as they did two years ago.

 

.

There must be something in that Potomac water ...

The water in the Potomac must kill brain cells. I mean, look at this headline from the Washington Post,  

"Hacker infiltration ends D.C. online voting trial"

Raise your hand if you couldn't see that one coming.  Everything from banks to the federal government has been hacked. No one with any sense could think that election systems would be exempt. "A secure Internet voting system is theoretically possible, but it would be the first secure networked application ever created in the history of computers," says Bruce Schneier, founder of Counterpane Internet Security, Inc,

And long ago computer voting ran into trouble in places like Ohio  and someplace I can't recall down south. ... hmmmm ... could it have been in  FLORIDA?  


But in DC, everyone is brain-damaged so they can't remember any of that.  They set up an internet voting system.  Wait until Congress mandates that we vote online for the President.  We'll wake up that Wednesday morning to honor President-elect Fox Mulder and his running mate Sponge Bob.

Note this interesting online book on how to protect the integrity of the voting process.

Electoral tsunami?

If the polls are right, next month could be a big change in the Congressional party numbers.  That's all well and good. We need a change.

But remember this: the answers to America's problems are not primarily political. America needs Americans to make spiritual changes that will lead to moral growth that will create a better society and cultural improvement.

Government is the problem, not the solution. Ronald Reagan was as right about that fact as he was about the Soviet Union's heading for the ash heap of history. (http://www.reagansheritage.org/reagan/html/reagan_panel_pipes.shtml, Richard Pipes, by the way, was a professor of mine at Harvard, a true gentleman)

So, vote right but begin making the true changes where they count -- in your life and in the life of your family.

For more on the polls, check out this on the Washington Examiner website.

(I followed the link from Drudge.)

And if you're voting in Virginia's 5th Congressional District, I urge you to vote for my good friend, Robert Hurt. He's a good man and will do a fine job as our next Representative.

Admissions, confessions, and presuppositions

I believe in truth in advertising so this blog is just what the name says: a place for me, Bud, to speak my mind or whatever remnant is left of it.
I admit to being a smart aleck. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_alec)  I confess that I don't know much about blogging so this is definitely learn as you go. And the primary presupposition around here is that you like to think for yourself and that you have a sense of humor. I realize that last one is definitely not true of the world at large but, hey, that describes me and this is my blog.

Welcome!

Hello, I'm Bud and welcome to my blog.
Not an original opening but straight and to the point -- no bull-ogna.  That's what I'm aiming for. You can judge for yourself what kind of marksman I am.