Provo, Utah Tabernacle Destroyed by Fire!

This past week a treasured landmark in the city of Provo, Utah was destroyed by fire.  Apparently the building is a total loss.  When my wife and I and our little family were students at BYU, we used to attend our Stake Conferences in the old beautiful building.  I used to enjoy the stained glass windows and the wonderful handiwork of the pioneers who built this grand building.

Here below is the way I will always remember the Provo Tabernacle; the last time I saw it.  A wonderful old building.

I have attached a news clipping from the Daily Herald in Provo, that tells about the tragic fire.

://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/article_616dbab4-09db-11e0-972b-001cc4c03286.html

Our wonderful daughter-iin-law Jill sent me this great video about a performance that took place in the tabernacle.  She plays the cello and since I used to play the violin, we both appreciate the great talent of this young man.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa-7t7lexVo&feature=player_embedded
 

Idiot Drives Wheelchair Down Elevator Shaft

This idiot shopper was angry that the elevator door shut before he could get on.  So angry in fact that he decided to show that elevator door a thing or two.  Well he certainly showed the elevator who was boss, didn't he? 

Grandma's Homemade Yogurt

During much of my early childhood I remember that my grandmother (my Dad's mother) lived for many years with my aunt and uncle (my Dad's sister and her husband) and their family in Palmdale, California.  My grandmother always had shelled almonds in the refrigerator.  When we would eat them she would remind us to always chew them 30 times before swallowing.  Have you ever tried to chew anything 30 times?  Have you ever tried to chew something 20 times?  By the time you have chew food 10 times there is nothing left to chew.

Anyway, one of the things my grandmother loved to make was her special homemade yogurt.  She had a special yogurt maker that she placed on top of the refrigerator so little hands could not touch it.  It had a white glass bowl that sat on top of a low temperature heating element.  I don't remember all of the special ingredients that she put into the bowl to get it started, but it included milk, sugar, and a bunch of other stuff.  As it started to "cook" it would bubble once in a while and the bubbles would pop.  You could hear the mixture bubbling on top of the refrigerator.  Any leftover items from the family meals were often added to the mixture, especially the last ounces of milk left behind in the kids glasses.  If by chance Grandma found that milk had gone bad in the refrigerator, it was quickly added to the mixture, even if it was separated and chunky.

I seem to remember as you walked past the refrigerator when the yogurt was bubbling, it was very important not to get any of the mixture on your clothes, if it spattered out of the bowl.  I remember that the mixture would burn a hole in your shirt or pants.  Powerful stuff that homemade yogurt was!

Well, as you can imagine, I never acquired a desire to eat yogurt after watching how it was made.  Even the kind they sold in the stores.  I thought all yogurt was made from fermented milk and table scraps.  After all, that would explain why real yogurt does not require refrigeration.  It can't go bad, because it already is bad.  Additional fermentation only made it better.

Of course there are lots of cheap imitation varieties of yogurt available in local stores.  They all require refrigeration and many have added fruit to make them taste better.

I have found one good use for yogurt as I have had to travel abroad for my job.  My first trips to France and the UK always left me sick for days, with stomach pain and diarrhea.  Before the next trip a guy at work told me to eat some local yogurt as soon as I arrived in any foreign country.  He said that the local bacteria would help digest the local food and items in the water.

Well, on my next trip to the UK I tried it and it worked!  I slowly acquired a taste for one variety of yogurt.  It is the Activia brand of vanilla flavored yogurt in the small dark green containers.  It has become one of my favorite snack foods now.

What I still do not understand, however, is why does store bought yogurt require refrigeration?  It must not be made the same way that my grandma always made her homemade yogurt.
 

Fathers-Sons Team Launch Balloon Into Space

This is a really cool video.  Check it out!

The only problem with what they did is that it was most likely illegal and could easily have killed a bunch of people, either in an airplane or on the ground if the chute had failed.  They were very lucky that nothing bad happened.

Click here for Father-Son Team Launch Balloon Into Space

Here We Go Again! - Hurrican Igor Is Coming! Run For Your Lives!!

The media is already at it again.  As if they hadn't learned from their last embarrassing prediction about Earl, they are already starting to spread concern and fear about Igor.

No Coverage of Koran Burning by AP News, but........

Today the Associated Press said they refuse to show images of the planned burning of a Koran because it might offend the Muslims.

However the AP broadcast this photo above to the world today of a US Flag being burned in Pakistan.

I guess the US Flag burning did not offend any Muslims.

I don't agree that we should be burning a copy of the Koran but you would think the AP would recognize their own hypocricy in selecting who they can and cannot offend.

News Media Disappointed with Hurricane Earl

You could see it coming.  Not the hurricane, mind you, but the media's bloodthirsty anticipation of destruction!  For days before Earl passed harmlessly by the East Coast of the United States the media warned and warned again that it was going to be a big one.  Each time the winds increased, the media announced that the storm had been upgraded to a 2.... then a 3.... and then a 4!  The media seemed drunk with the power they had over the people.  The forced evacuations were but one example of the media's power and ability to control what was going on.

And then what happened.....?

Instead of ripping buildings apart and drowning hundreds with the giant storm surge, the hurricane passed harmlessly by the East Coast and dumped a bunch of rain.  The disappointed media quickly sank back into their holes.  They did not get to stand in the rain with their camera lights and their face getting beaten by the frozen droplets of 200 mph rain.  They had nothing to show for their efforts.  How very disappointed they were!

I was doing a Google Search this morning to find out about the aftermath of Hurricane Earl, but there is little that was written.  There was no story about how they had overestimated the hurricane or how the evacuations were a costly waste of time and money.  There was no story about the gross errors in their computer modeling, which by the way is similar to the computer model that they use to predict global warming.  

But what would you expect the media to do, after they did all they could to build it up and scare everyone to death and to force people to leave their homes and their belongings during the evacuations?  They will tell you that they did it for the public good and that they were just doing their job to keep everyone informed. 

What a bunch of hooey!  

How To Tie Your Shoes Correctly

     When I first began dating my wife, nearly 40 years ago, her shoe laces were always coming undone.  Being a Boy Scout, trained in the art of knot tying, I noticed almost immediately that she was not tying her shoe laces with the correct knot.  She was tying what is called a Granny Knot.  Nearly everyone has heard about the Granny Knot.  It is a improperly tied Square Knot that slips when you put it under load and easily comes undone.

     The fix was easy.  I simply had her reverse the first part of the knot so that the knot ended up a proper Square Knot.  I have met many people in my life who do not tie their shoe laces properly and always have a problem keeping the laces from coming undone.  Sometimes this can be quite embarrassing.
     I recently discovered a web site devoted completely to the proper tying of shoe laces.  Check out the link below and see if you are tying your shoe laces properly.
   
Proper Shoe Lace Knot Technique

     Several years ago I met a young women at work who was between jobs and getting ready to begin a new career in the TV News Industry.   While she worked at our company we taught her the correct way to tie her shoes and it really made a great impression on her.
     Several months later she left our company and began here new TV news career in Arizona.  One of her first stories was on the correct way to tie shoe laces.  She went to a local school and conducted an experiment where she had half the kids tie their shoes one way and half the other way.  After the kids played out in the yard at recess, she checked to see if there was a difference in how well the knots stayed tied.  She found out that the Granny Knot came loose much more often than the Square Knot.  As part of her story she visited a local Scoutmaster and had him explain the difference between the two knots and explain why one was better than the other.

Big Brother Going Through Your Trash

Yes it is TRUE!

The government will soon be going through your trash and it is already starting in Cleveland, Ohio. 

The city is planting microchips in the residents recycling trashcans...(I am not making this up)...to monitor how often they recycle trash.  If the city decides that you are not recycling your share of material they will send a crew over to your house and go through your trash to see if you are putting recyclable material in your regular trashcan.  If they find more than 10% recyclable material in your trash can, you will be fined $100, according to Waste Collection Commissioner Ronnie Owens.

Now pay particular attention to the next part of the story.

The Cleveland City Council approved spending $2,500,000.00 (that is 2.5 million dollars) for the cost of planting the microchips inside the special trashcans.  They did not provide an estimate of the cost of paying "trash supervisors" to go through people's trashcans, nor did they say how they will measure the amount of recyclable material.

I assume it will be determined by weight.

Let's imagine how this process will work.

Let's say that you go on vacation and don't put out your recycle trashcan for a couple of weeks.  The computer in the city trash truck that is monitoring your trashcan usage, notices that they haven't picked up your recycle trashcan for some time.  For reasons that you will soon understand the city must next obtain a search warrant.  With that warrant in hand,  a deputy sheriff and the city trash commissioner are  dispatched with a special truck to your address.  They arrive at your home and knock on your door.  They must not provide any advance notice of their arrival or else you might presort your trash before they arrive, thereby defeating the entire purpose of the raid and also forfeiting the $100 fine.  Thus the reason for the warrant.  Since you and your wife may not be home during the day, the city worker and the deputy enter your back yard with the warrant and legally move the trashcan to the front street.

As your neighbors watch in amazement the trash supervisor first must weigh the contents of the trashcan.  To accomplish that they must empty the contents onto a scale that records the total weight of your trash.  Next they move your trash onto a special sorting table and sort it into two receptacles.  In one of the containers they place choice pieces of recyclable items including glass, metal cans, plastic bottles, paper and cardboard.  If any of the paper or cardboard happens to be wet, the trash supervisor will smile, knowing the moisture will add to the weight of the recyclable items he is hoping to find.  Keep in mind that everyone in your neighborhood will watch as the trash supervisor sorts through the remnants of last night's dinner and other items that you thought were private.  If you have wrapped any of the items in a bag or in any way tried to conceal them from the inspector, the containers will be opened to confirm that they do not contain recyclable material.

You might imagine that quite a crowd might gather around the truck as the inspector works.  The deputy who accompanied the inspector will also take care of any necessary crowd control, using his Taser if necessary to keep homeless people from grabbing plastic bottles or aluminum cans.

After all the material has been sorted, the "trash supervisor" pushes a special button on the trash computer which uses proprietary software and trash algorithms to calculate how much trash has been placed in the wrong trashcan.  If the number exceeds 10% you will receive a $100 fine on your next bill from the trash company.

And don't you even think about not paying the fine!  If you do, they city will place a lien on your house and take special steps to destroy your credit rating and reputation.

So there you have it.  Sounds bizarre you may think.  Never happen, you say!  Not in my lifetime, you hope!

BUT IT IS ALREADY HAPPENING!

Link to Source - Cleveland's Trash Czar

Last year they city of Cleveland, Ohio, issued 2900 tickets for violations of the city's trash collection code.  They say that this number is nearly five times more tickets than they issued the previous year.  According to Waste Collection Commissioner Ronnie Owens, his "Division of Waste Collection is on track to meet is goal of issuing 4000 citations in 2010."

I don't know about you, but I firmly believe that these environmentalists are totally out of control!

Don't let this situation get any worse.  Make sure your voice is heard in the next election!

Alien Lawn Mound Invades My Yard

The other night I came home and heard some strange sounds coming from our back yard.  I turned on the patio lights and went out onto the patio to see if there was something there.  I couldn't believe my eyes!  There in the lawn was a giant mound rising up higher and higher.  It was easily about 10 feet in diameter and over a foot tall in the center.  AND IT WAS GROWING!  It scared me to death!  When it got about 2-1/2 feet tall it stopped growing and became silent and still.  I walked over to it and put my foot on it to see if I could move it.  It was solid!  I walked up on top of it and it easily supported my weight.

After some checking I realized that it was the result of a leak in a pipe that passed under the lawn.  I turned off the water to the pipe and decided to wait till morning to see where the leak was and how best to fix it.

By morning the alien mound was gone and the yard was peaceful again.  I was able to locate the leak and repair the pipe before nightfall so that the mound would not return.

It was a night that I will never forget.

"Get My Shotgun !!!"

I had a dear friend, named Vern, who recently passed away from cancer.  He was from Yugoslavia and legally immigrated to the US when he was a young man.  Before he died he told me a great story that I will never forget.

One warm summer night, he and his wife were asleep in bed.  Their bedroom was located above their garage on the front of the house.  Two large sliding glass doors opened up to a small balcony just above the entrance to the garage.  Since the night was warm, they had left the sliding doors open to let in the cool air.

In the early morning, Vern was awakened by the sound of the screen door sliding open.  Quietly he opened his eyes to see a man on the balcony preparing to enter his bedroom through the sliding glass door. As the intruder silently parted the curtains to enter the room, Vern yelled at the top of his lungs,

"GET MY SHOTGUN!!!"

The intruder's response was immediate!  He turned around and dashed across the balcony to the railing.  Climbing up on the top of the railing, he jumped about 15 feet to the concrete driveway below, destroying both of his ankles.  The police followed the trail of blood from the compound fractures to some nearby bushes where they arrested the intruder, who was in severe pain and grateful to receive medical care.

Now the interesting part of the story is that Vern did not even own a shotgun.  If he had, I doubt it would have made any difference.  Why did the intruder risk his life by jumping from a second story balcony if he never saw Vern's gun? What frightened him so much that he would crush both his ankles? The answer is simple!

The intruder was simply frightened by the possibility that Vern DID own a gun and that he was prepared to use it to protect his family and his possessions. He was frightened by the possibility that if he entered that room, he would face the destructive force of both barrels of a 12 gage shotgun. It was Vern's legal right to own a gun and the possibility that he had exercised that right that frightened the intruder away.

Would things have been different if the intruder knew that Vern did not own a gun?  Would the outcome have been different if the intruder had known that the US Government had made it illegal for Vern to buy a gun or to buy ammunition?  I think you will agree with me that things would have been very different for Vern and his sweet wife had the intruder known that his life was not in danger as he crept silently into their bedroom.

We must maintain our right to bear arms and to own guns and ammunition, IF FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN TO INSTILL THE FEAR OF DEATH IN THE HEART OF EVERY WOULD BE CRIMINAL WHO EVEN CONSIDERS COMMITTING A CRIME AGAINST THEIR NEIGHBORS.

What Good Are Guns Without Ammunition?

There has been and always will be a heated debate over the possession and the sale of guns in the United States.  Attempts to limit the sale and ownership of firearms are common but have always failed due in great part to the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution.

Recently it appears that the proponents of gun control are trying a new approach.  While they continue their frontal assault on the sale and ownership of firearms, this is only a ploy to distract the public from their flank attack, which is:

“They will let Americans own their guns, but they will make sure that the government controls the sale of ammunition.”

This new method of gun control seems to be gaining a foothold in the United States.  Their tactic is to gradually reduce the availability of ammunition to Americans who own guns.  At first the government said they only wanted to limit the sale of certain kinds of ammunition that could only be used for illegal purposes.  Then the ban expanded to other types of ammunition.  Gun shops were forced to move their stock from the store shelves to behind the counters and then into locked cabinets.  Now laws are being passed to prevent the sale of ammunition through the mail.  Through these gradual changes to the law, it is getting more and more difficult to buy even common varieties of ammunition.

“You can keep your precious guns,” they laugh, “but just try and use them without ammunition.”

Recently some gun and ammunition stores in California have had enough!  They have filed a lawsuit against the government for violating the Commerce Clause of the US Constitution.  They claim that these new laws are limiting their ability to sell guns and specifically ammunition across state lines. 

We will see how successful these brave Americans are as they battle to preserve the right of every citizen to own, AND USE, a gun in the United States of America.    

Confusion Over California's Cell Phone Law

It is currently illegal to use a hand held cell phone in the state of California when you are driving an automobile, car or truck.  

The exact wording of the law is as follows:

“A person shall not drive a motor vehicle while using a wireless telephone unless that telephone is specifically designed and configured to allow hands-free listening and talking, and is used in that manner while driving.”   (Ref. California Vehicle Code 23123)

But what does that mean?  Apparently it is confusing to a lot of people. 

Ever since the law was passed I have seen a dozen new ways to use a cell phone which people apparently believe is legal.

Take for example the women who simply does not put the cell phone to her ear?  She believes that it is legal to use her cell phone if she holds the cell phone in her hand in front of her mouth and not to her ear.  She believes that by putting it on speaker phone mode, it is now configured for hands-free listening and talking.  The basic problem with this technique is that the driver is still using one hand to hold the cell phone.

A variation on that technique is the guy with ear phones in his ears which are attached by a short electrical cord to the cell phone which he holds in his right hand.  Here again, the driver is still using one hand to hold the cell phone.  Also, the driver may not realize that in California it is also illegal to wear ear phones while driving.  My son recently found out about that law when he was visiting from another state.

Still another new hands-free technique is when the passenger holds the cell phone to the driver’s ear so that the driver’s hands remain on the steering wheel.  A problem with this method is that the passenger does always know the correct alignment of the phone to the driver’s ear, and the driver often has to adjust the phone so that he or she can hear.  This requires that the driver remove his or her hand from the steering wheel to make the adjustment, or they may move their head around to achieve the proper position.

Another interesting method I saw recently involved the use of a Bluetooth earpiece that the driver had inserted into their ear.  This allowed the driver to have both hands free to wave and gesture wildly as they talked on the phone.  As I cautiously approached the car from behind, I initially thought they were trying to swat a fly that was loose in the front seat.

Whatever the true interpretation of the law, we may never know because there is little enforcement of the law by local police.  This is evident as you drive on the freeway and see so many people using their cell phones while they drive. 

It seems to me that if the law were enforced, word would quickly spread through local communities by word of mouth about what is and is not allowed.  And I believe it would be safer to drive on our nation’s highways.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY

No Pledge of Allegiance in Massachusetts' Classrooms

          A few weeks ago I wrote about a man who was not allowed to fly the American Flag inside the living room window of his own home (MacNiven - May 27, 2010), and today's news is more of the same liberal garbage.  Check out the link below if you are like me and find it hard to believe, but it is verily true...the principle of a Massachusetts High School has actually forbidden students from reciting the US Pledge of Allegiance inside the classroom.  However, not wishing to appear anti-American, he has generously allowed the students to recite the pledge before school begins, but only in the school's foyer.  The liberal principal's name is Charles Skidmore and he is supported by his superintendent Kathleen Bodie.  Their reasoning is typical of politically correct liberals.  They "wanted to be sensitive to the diverse group of students" in the school.  It is okay to offend thousands of American students by preventing them from reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, but heaven forbid if we ever offend an atheist student who doesn't believe in God or an illegal alien who refuses to obey US law.  
          One of the students in the school, a 17 year old patriot named Sean Harrington, noticed that there were no American Flags displayed inside his Arlington, Massachusetts High School.  He enlisted the help of other students to help him get them installed, and while he was at it he decided that it would be appropriate if they could recite the Pledge of Allegiance.  His request to recite the pledge was denied by a 3-3 vote of some high school committee with the lame excuse that even voluntarily reciting the pledge might violate some people's religious beliefs.  One of the no-votes on the committee was a woman named Leba Heigham, who was quoted as saying, "Patriotism is a very personal thing to all of us", but she did not think it was in the committee's best interest to have the students or teachers recite the Pledge of Allegiance in their classrooms.
          So there you have it!  No American Flags and now no Pledge of Allegiance.  We should have seen it coming when, during the 2008 election, Obama refused to place his hand over his heart during the playing of the National Anthem.  What kind of America are we leaving to future generations?    

No Pledge Allowed Inside School Classroom

So.California Sea Otters Defy Federal Court Order

I read this morning that a group of Sea Otters have defied a federal court order and have moved outside their designated boundaries in the ocean off the coast of Southern California.  Many years ago a large group of Sea Otters was moved to one of the islands off the Santa Barbara coast to protect them in the event that there was a giant oil spill.  They were told to stay near the island and away from the California coast.  Occasionally a few conservative otters would venture out of the boundary but they were quickly gathered up by federal employees (paid for from our taxes) and returned to the island.

After watching TV and seeing the success of the Tea Party Movement, a large number of Sea Otters decided that they had had enough federal government control, and left their designated area in defiance of the federal court order.  What is worse is that they have moved into commercial fishing areas where the food is more plentiful and have taken some heat from local fisherman.

The fishermen's complaint is not so much that the otters are eating too much, but that they are getting caught in their nets.  Because the Sea Otters are protected by the Obama Administration and the federal government, a fisherman who accidently catches a Sea Otter could risk fines, prison and even worse.

Local fisherman are hoping the issue can quickly be resolved, as is the local Sea Otter population which is now facing stiff fines and jail time for venturing outside their designated safe zone.

The problem has worsened over the last few days as the US Supreme Court has agreed to decide on the fate of the overcrowed California Prison System which clearly does not have enough space to house thousands of endangered Sea Otters and their families.

Asphalt or Concrete - Only a True Princess Can Tell

Have you seen people who jog in the street instead of the nearby sidewalk?  I asked them why they don't use the sidewalk and they told me that they prefer the asphalt because it is not as hard on their knees.  They claim they can feel the difference between the hardness of the concrete and the hardness of the asphalt.  

Really!?  Doesn't that remind you of the "Princess and the Pea"?

We have all heard the fairy tell of the young woman who tried to sleep on a stack of mattresses and since she was a true princess she was able to detect that there was a pea at the bottom of the stack of mattresses.  

That is similar to the sensitivity that a jogger must have to detect the difference between the hardness of asphalt and concrete, when you consider the softness of the running shoes as well as socks.  With the softness of the shoe sole as well as the softness of the socks, I submit to you that there is no way your foot can feel through those two soft springs and detect the hardness of the ground underneath.


I propose that we do a simple test...

Give me a jogger with his running shoes and some nice soft cotton socks and I will show you that if they jump up and down all day on concrete or asphalt, they won't be able to tell the difference.

Rule Number 1 - "Don't Answer Your Cell Phone While Sitting on the Toilet in a Public Restroom

The other day I was using the facilities in one of our men's restrooms at work.  As I sat there, I heard a loud cell phone ringer from the next stall.  It rang three times.  I wondered if the idiot was going to answer it.  Finally he did, but I am sure he soon regrettted his decision.  The conversation went something like this:

"Hello."  "Yes this is George," "What do you need?"

At this point a guy in another stall flushed a toilet and the loud flushing sound reverberated within the restroom.  The person on the other line must have heard the unmistakable sound and asked where George was.

"Oh, I'm at work." [Good answer, George.  Keep the details to a minimum]

At this point another guy in a nearby stall let loose with the loudest and most disgusting sound I have ever heard.  It echoed off the tile walls and instantly filled the room with a horrible smell as well as a dark mist.

"What's that?" [The person must have asked another question, that George didn't understand, probably due to

the loud noise.]

"Oh, it's just some guys messing around in the next cubicle." [They must have heard the sound as well.]

"No, I am not in the bathroom!"  [This comment was followed by another toilet flush and a loud grunt from another stall.]

"I will have to call you back later.  I am really busy, now."  [The caller must have been pressing for the truth]

"I am busy, that's all."  [Sounds like the caller doesn't believe what they are hearing.]

[Two more flushes and a loud groan reverberate within the room.]

"I AM telling you the truth!  I am NOT in the bathroom."  [The situation is definitely getting worse]

[By now, everyone in the room knows what is going on and are doing their best to make the situation as difficult as possible for this poor guy]

"Say, Mac!  Don't forget to wash your hands,"  yells one guy.

"I will, Joe, but it looks like we are running low on soap," adds another man nearby.

"What is that awful smell?"  asks still another.  "We are going to have to change your diet!"

"Hello.  Hello.  Hello."  [Apparently the caller hung up.]

DEBT UPDATE! - How Much Money Do You Owe the US Government?

I PUBLISHED THIS POST EARLIER THIS YEAR AND WAS RECENTLY SURPRIZED TO SEE HOW MUCH MORE MONEY EACH OF US OWES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN LIGHT OF ALL THE RECENT SPENDING WHICH OBAMA SAYS WILL NOT INCREASE OUR TAXES (WHAT A LIAR!)  IF WE DO NOT FIX THIS PROBLEM AND GET THE LIBERALS OUT OF CONTROL OF OUR FINANCES, WE WILL SOON BE IN THE SAME SITUATION AS THE COUNTRY OF GREECE.  AT THE TIME I UPDATED THIS POST THE NATIONAL DEBT FOR EACH PERSON HAD INCREASED TO $41,863.  SEE WHAT IT IS WHEN YOU OPEN THE LINK BELOW.  IT COULD WELL HAVE DOUBLED SINCE THE LITTLE GIRL PUT THE SIGN AROUND HER NECK.
This little girl claims she is in debt to the sum of $38,375. However that number is out of date as it changes continuously. The little girl owes another $403 since she put that sign around her tiny neck. All of us are in increasing debt!

See the link below for one of the greatest items I have found on the internet. It is the United States Debt Clock and is continuously updated to show how much each and every US citizen owes the US government at any time of the day. Just place the cursor on any of the boxes and it will tell you the definition and the source of the current number. If it wasn't so seriously sad, it would be funny to watch the numbers wizzing by.

http://www.usdebtclock.org/

Check out the link above:

Law Enforcement Does Not Mean We HATE You!

I know some wonderful people who live in the United Kingdom.  They have tried for years to legally come to the United States to live and work, but have been unable to find a sponsor.  They are law abiding people who recognize and respect US immigration laws.

I also have many friends who have gone through the long and sometimes expensive immigration process and are now proud American Citizens.  While they still love their birth country, they have learned to speak and write English, and have adopted the customs and laws of the US.  One of them got upset with me the other day when I bought a Japanese automobile instead of one made in America.  He is a true blue American.  

Then there are others, like those in this photo, who have come to the US illegally.  They do not recognize or respect the US immigration laws.  Some climbed over a fence. Others came in the trunk of a car.  Some walked through a tunnel.  Many walked through the hot deserts without food or water.  There are also some who swam across a river or two.  However they got here, many to not embrace US customs and tradtions.  They refuse to learn English and they wave their native flags in our faces.  They over-crowd our hospitals, our jails and prisons, and they pack our school classrooms.  They live off state welfare and burden our country with their problems, their graffiti and their gangs.

For strange political reasons, our corrupt polititions refuse to enforce our US immigration laws.  The border states of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas are forced to accept most of the cost of this failure by the Federal Government.  They have appealed for financial aid from the Federal Governemt for years without help.

Finally the state of Arizona says "Enough is Enough!"  We are no longer willing to sponsor these illegals in our financially strapped state.  "If the Federal Government is unwilling to enforce their own laws, then we will use our own police force to do it for them."

And then come the marches and the protests.  "Why do you HATE us?" they cry,  "We are humans, just like you."  For some reason these illegals think we HATE them.  I don't know where this idea originates.  Just because we try to enforce the laws of our country, these people think it is out of HATE!  HATE has nothing to do with law enforcement.  We just expect those who come to the US to obey the same laws that we must follow.  Why should they be any different?

With the help of our corrupt and impotent Federal Government, these illegal immigrants have made a mockery of our system of immigration law as well as our ability to protect the borders of our own country.

The Cartoon That Got an Ohio High School Student in Trouble

Water Vapor Is Most Plentiful "Green House Gas"

Did you know that Water Vapor is a Green House Gas?  It's true!  Everyone these days is talking about the harmful effects of the Green House Gas, Carbon Dioxide, from Obama to Al Gore, but little is said about the more abundant Green House Gas, Water Vapor.  Green House gases are made up of 95% Water Vapor, 3.62% Carbon Dioxide, and 1.38% other trace gases.   The US Government is in the process of designating Carbon Dioxide as a pollutant so that they can monitor it and control it like they do with Ozone.  But what about the far more serious threat of Water Vapor?  Will they try to control the production of Water Vapor as well?  After all, Water Vapor is 25 times more abundant than Carbon Dioxide.

What is Water Vapor?  Where does Water Vapor come from?  Is it harmful to plants and animals?  Is it harmful to humans?  How can we get rid of Water Vapor?

These are interesting questions.  Let's try to answer them one at a time.

What is Water Vapor?  -  Water Vapor is composed of pure water that has changed from a liquid to a gas.  The fluffy white clouds that you see floating by in the sky are made of Water Vapor.  The fog that you see hovering over the field early in the morning is made of Water Vapor.

Where does Water Vapor come from?  -  Water Vapor is present wherever there is water.  As sunlight strikes the surface of the ocean or a lake, it warms the water and the water evaporates to form Water Vapor.  You can make lots of Water Vapor in your kitchen just by boiling water on the stove.  When you take a hot shower in the bathroom you also make Water Vapor.  When Water Vapor cools back down, it changes back to a liquid like the condensation on the bathroom mirror.

Is Water Vapor harmful to plants, animals or humans?  -  This is a tricky question.  Normally nobody would ever consider Water Vapor to be harmful, unless of course you get burned by hot steam.  However, lately with all the talk about Green House Gases by Al Gore and his climate buddys, you could begin to think that Water Vapor could be dangerous.  After all, Al Gore and Obama teach that Green House Gases are what is warming our planet.  In the atmosphere these gases act like a real  "Green House" that allows light to penetrate but not reflect.  Al Gore claims that by generating Green House Gas, we are increasing the temperature of the earth and we will eventually melt the ice-caps and kill our planet.

How do you get rid of Water Vapor?  -  The only way to get rid of Water Vapor, that I know of, is to prevent water from evaporating.  First you need to keep the sun from hitting the surface of the Earth.  You must keep sunlight from hitting the oceans and the lakes and rivers and streams.  Then you have to stop the wind and breezes that blow over the water.  They cause evaporation as well.  And absolutely, no more hot water!!!  No more showers or washing hands.  No more cooking of any type of food.  All meats and vegetables must be eaten raw.  No bread either!

But wait a minute here.  This seems silly. doesn't it?

Have you ever heard Al Gore say anything bad about Water Vapor?  Not a single word.  And why not, you might ask?  After all, it is 25 times worse than Carbon Dioxide simply because it is more abundant. 

I can't speak for Al Gore and his climate friends, but it is curious that they are only mainly concerned about Carbon Dioxide. 

Maybe they only mention Carbon Dioxide because it is produced by Man?  But wait!  Man only produces 3.4% of the Carbon Dioxide on the earth.  The rest comes from Nature including trees and plants.  And besides, Man also produces Water Vapor.

So why do Al Gore and Obama worry so much about Carbon Dioxide and not about Water Vapor? 

That is a really good question, but I suspect it has something to do with MONEY and GOVERNMENT CONTROL!  After all, most scams such as this and in fact most bad things that happen on the Earth are the result of the desire for MONEY and POWER!

I DON'T THINK AL GORE AND OBAMA CARE ONE BIT ABOUT OUR PLANET OR THE ENVIRONMENT OR ABOUT ANY OF US.  ALL THEY CARE ABOUT IS MAKING MONEY AND INCREASING GOVERNMENT CONTROL.

Otherwise they would be complaining just as much about Water Vapor as they are about Carbon Dioxide.

But they aren't.....are they?

Value Added Tax (VAT) - I told you so!

In my entry on Sunday, March 26, 2010 I predicted that the Obama administration would soon impose a national "Value-Added Tax" to pay for Obamacare, just like all the "sophisticated" Europeans do.  (And we certainly don't want to be less sophisitcated than the English, French and Germans, do we?)

Well now it is in writing from the very hand of Obama's advisor, Paul Volcker.  Check out the link here to read what he said:

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6355N520100406

At a recent town hall meeting a woman in the audience asked Obama about if he thought it was wise to raise our taxes even higher as she felt her taxes were high enough.

Obama nearly lost his cool.  He went on the next 15+ minutes talking how he needed to dispell the numerous misconceptions that the Republicans had spread about his beloved Obamacare.  Nearly everyone in the audience fell asleep listening to him ramble without the aid of his teleprompter.  The guy is an absolute idiot!

And soon we will join the sophisticated Europeans with an American version of the Value-Added Tax.

I only hope that we can begin to change things around in the upcoming November elections.

Vote Republican and save America!

Car Runs On Air? - Don't Fall For This!

The other day a guy at work sent me this link to a story about a car that runs on air.  Compressed air motors are nothing new.  Our boys had little cars that shot across the room after they pumped up the air tank.  Before there were tiny gasoline engines that powered model airplanes, they used compressed air.  I have read numerous articles about compressed air motors for years, some of the inventors making amazing claims about how far and fast they can travel on a tank of compressed air.

What got me about this video were not the claims by the inventor but the ridiculous conclusions by the reporter.  Anyone who has filled an air mattress on a camping trip or blown up one of those huge inflatable swimming pools knows first hand that compressed air is NOT FREE!  It comes with a price, and sometimes a huge price depending upon the volume of air or the pressure of the air that is required.  Can you imagine blowing up the tire of your car with your lungs?  Compressed air is not free!  Not only is it NOT free, but it is also not an efficient way to power a motor, like the motor of a car.

The main inefficiency comes when the air is compressed.  Wherever this takes place, there is a huge energy loss due to the heating of the air during the action of compressing the air.  It is the same when you pump up your bike tire with a hand pump.  The base of the bike pump can get so hot you can't touch it without burning yourself.  All that energy that is used to heat the air is lost into the atmosphere.  It takes a lot of electricity to compress air.  A lot more energy that you get out of it in the motor of a car that runs on air.

It is a scam!  Don't believe it, especially at the end of the video when the reporter starts talking about perpetual motion and using compressed air to generate more compressed air.  It is ridiculous!

http://www.flixxy.com/zero-pollution-automobile.htm

Value Added Tax (VAT) Coming Soon!

The Democrats really did it now!  With a partisan vote of 219 to 212, they pushed through the Senate's version of ObamaCare that nobody really wanted.  It was quickly followed by the "Reconciliation Bill" with which the Democrats promised many in their own part that they would fix those parts of ObamaCare that they had just approved and that nobody liked.  For example it will remove many of the sweet deals that were made to specific states to buy buy their votes AND it is supposed to change the language on government funded abortions. 

We will see how well the reconciliation bill does in the Senate.  It may never pass, which means that we will be stuck the Senate's version of the bill which passed Sunday evening.

NOW........how are we going to pay for of this additional governemt service, you might ask?

It is simple....

We will pay for it the same as all the other countries in the world that have socialized medicine.

They do it with a national tax called the "VALUE ADDED TAX (VAT).

Whenever I have traveled on buisness to Europe or the UK there is a special tax on everything.  It is included on every bill in addition to all the other costs.  It is a simple one line entry at the bottom which says...."VAT"

WE WILL PAY FOR SOCIALIZED MEDICINE WITH "VAT"

How will you like it when you are required to pay 25% or more in VAT when you eat at a restaurant?

Imagine adding 30% VAT to the price of a $20,000 automobile.  Let's see that comes out to $6000 in additional taxes.  Not bad, huh?

That is how we will pay for socialized medicine.  It is the price we have to pay, thanks to Obama and the Democrats.  Not one Republican voted for ObamaCare.

AND DON'T FORGET TO THANK THE DEMOCRATS WHEN YOU VOTE THIS NOVEMBER!!

Funny Fisherman Bloopers

With all of the depressing things going on these days with ObamaCare and the economy, this collection of fisherman bloopers made my day.  I laughed so hard that my eyes watered.

http://www.flixxy.com/best-fisherman-bloopers.htm

Am I a "Right Wing Extremist"?

I got some feedback the other day via some visitors to a local military installation that I was a "Right Wing Extremist".  Part of me was flattered that they were reading my blog, but another part of me wondered, "Am I really a Right Wing Extremist"?

I am a loyal American, who willingly pays my taxes each year.  I vote in every election and I am active in my neighborhood and community.  I attend church every Sunday and consider myself to be a good Christian.  I am loyal to my wife and family and work hard at my occupation so that I can support our family without government aid or outside support.  As a youth and still as an adult I am active in the Boy Scouts of America.  I volunteer at our local schools and am active in other local youth organizations.  I am honest in my dealings with those around me.  I don't drink or smoke.  Although I sometimes exceed the speed limit on the local freeways it is seldom over 5 miles per hour faster than the posted limit.  I have traveled outside the United States and am always proud to say that I am an American.

Do those qualities make me a Right Wing Extremist?

Although I have owned Ford and GM cars, I have also owned a Volkswagen, a Nissan and numerous Toyotas.  I am currently an aerospace engineer designing weapons for our armed forces to protect themselves and our country.  Two of my four children are proudly serving in the US Navy and I have several nephews in the armed forces also serving in harm's way in Iraq.

I supported myself in college by working at McDonald's Restaurants while raising a family with two little boys and a very loving and supportive wife.  I know what it is like to wonder where your next meal is coming from and how you are going to make the next rent payment.

So what makes me a Right Wing Extremist?

Maybe its because I don't believe in abortion.  One of our Daughter's in Law refused to get a doctor recommened abortion when she encountered a problem during her pregnacy and now we have two beautiful twin grand-daughters to show for her decision.

Maybe its because I don't want to see our country go further in debt and leave a tremendous tax burden on my children and future generations.  In his first year in office Obama has placed a heavy tax burden upon us, that I fear we may never pay back.  Pelosi and Reid and others are bound and determined to grow our government until our country is bankrupt.  We need to produce more US manufacturing jobs and reverse the worsening decline of US industry and the trade deficit.

Could it be because I don't want ObamaCare to succeed?  I have personnaly seen the results of healthcare in the UK, Germany and France and I am grateful that we have the best care available in the entire world.  In some European countries they care less for people's health than US citizens care for their dogs and cats.

Could it be because I don't believe that man is causing global warming?  As an engineer and scientist I have reviewed the available data and I understand the limitations of computer modeling, upon which the entire theory of man caused global warming is based.  Computer models carry the old warning, "Garbage in and garbage out!"  I know from personal experience that you can make a computer model match ANY set of data that you wish.  Our climate experts cannot use these massive computers to accurately predict tomorrow's weather let alone the temperature of the earth twenty years from now.  My wise old grandmother taught me to "follow the money" when you wonder why something is happening in our society.  I have followed the money spent on the global warming and it ended up in the pockets of rich hypocrits like Al Gore and the like.

For whatever reasons these fellows at China Lake referred to me as a "Right Wing Extremist" I may never know.  I don't see myself to be different than any other red blooded American who loves his country and wants to see it continue into the future for my children and their children and your children.

Call me a "Right Wing Extremist" if you wish, but it won't be long before our liberal friends will be looking for someone to blame for the mess they are making of our country and for someone who can restore this country to its greatness.  I stand ready to help, as long as I am able.  God Bless America!!

Al Gore Found! - Wearing Snowboots - Still Defending His Global Warming Peace Prize -

My old boss used to tell me that there are three kinds of people: Lazy, Ignorant, and Stupid.

Many in our society are Lazy.  They simply lack the motivation to do things on their own.  They need to be encouraged to do the right thing.  And until they are motivated by something or someone, they do little or nothing.  It puts a big burden on the rest of society as they not only have to do their own part, but they must carry the burden of motivating and encouraging the lazy people of the earth.

Next is Ignorant.  The ignorant have simply not learned the truth.  They just need to be taught.  Most of us are in that group at one point or another in our lives.    There is no shame in not knowing things if you had not had the opportunity to learn them.

Now we come to Stupid.  Stupid people are incapable of learning.  Not only that, but once they have been taught, they do the wrong thing anyway.

Let me give you a few examples of each.

Lazy - A father who stays at home watching TV because it is easier to accept welfare than to go out and look for a job is Lazy.  He is likely teaching his children to be lazy as well.  He is a burden to society.  Maybe someday his poor wife will be able to motivate him enough to go out and at least apply for a job, but then he will not likely follow up on any leads and would be late for the job interview because he slept in after his alarm went off.

A student who goes to the library to learn about a subject in preparation for a class is ignorant.  He lacks knowledge.  Since this ignorant student is going to the library he is not a burden to society.  He will most likely succeed in what he attempts because he is motivated to learn.

Next we have Al Gore.  He is the perfect example of Stupid.  When he was young he was ignorant, and his parents forced him to go to school.  He barely managed to pass, thanks to the encouragement of others.  Al Gore is a special case, because he is also Lazy.  Instead of working hard like everyone else, he chooses to sit back and leech off the efforts of others.  He has become rich by selling Carbon Credits to other Stupid people.  Even though he has known all along that Global Warming was not caused by man, he refused to accept the truth.  That is Stupid.  Now as the evidence continues to pile up against him, he continues to preach his lies.

On February 27, Al Gore prepared a speech which the New York Times swollowed up like a hungry seal enhales a sardine.  It must have been a slow day for them and they needed to fill a few columns.  Al Gore poked his head out of his mansion long enough to see the shadow of nature's variation in winter weather, and he ducked back in faster than Punxsutawney Phil.  He admits that he and his Global Warmists have made some mistakes but he still stands by his Stupidity.  Check out the link below.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/opinion/28gore.html

I wouldn't mind it if Al Gore and his Stupid friends kept to themselves. I don't mind him winning the Nobel Peace Price for his book, his movie and his speeches.  But these people are raising our taxes and hurting businesses.  They are stealing from the poor and producing more Carbon in a day with their jets and their mansions and their caravans, than any of us would produce in a year.  (Check out my previous blogs in August and November 2009 to see what I mean.)  These stupid people need to be stopped.... and the sooner the better.  As long as they keep preaching their Global Warming Religion and stupid politions and others keep giving them money, we will all come out losers.