America's pass-time is second rate.

With the Little League World Series and MLB playing season games outside the United States MLB must change the name of the series of games played in October. They are no longer a World Series and the winner is no longer the World Champion. It is the United States Series and the winner will be the United States Champion.

The United States has lost when it plays other countries. America's pass-time is second rate.

Military Leaders Desert the Troops

Have you noticed how many of our military leaders retire because they do not agree with their "Commander-in-Chief"? Why do you suppose they choose this particular time to "retire?"

What kind of a military is it when the leaders send their men into a war and then they retire to a nice safe life, leaving the men who trusted them to try to survive or die or be maimed? Very few soldiers fight for their commander-in-chief, they fight for their buddy and no matter how many are around you when the bullets start flying you are alone. What kind of a leader is it who believes that is all romantic?

Oops, Another Bush Quote for the Ages

If you were still among the few who continued to hope that somewhere in that head of his President Bush was in touch with reality, you now have proof he is not.

Speaking by video-conference with U.S. military and civilian personnel in Afghanistan about the challenges posed by war, corruption, and the poppy trade, the president said:

“I must say, I'm a little envious. If I were slightly younger and not employed here, I think it would be a fantastic experience to be on the front lines of helping this young democracy succeed. It must be exciting for you … in some ways romantic, in some ways, you know, confronting danger. You're really making history, and thanks.”

He should have listened too whoever said:

“Better to be quiet and thought a fool than to speak and let everyone know for
sure”.

We now have evidence that our Commander-In-Chief has absolutely no idea what war is about. There is a saying in Texas, "One Riot, One Ranger." He must have changed his attitude since he had an opportunity for “a fantastic experience” in Viet Nam but he decided to let others enjoy it. Now Viet Nam was a pretty romantic war.

I suspect many of our military leaders know and have known the President is clueless but I wonder how many thought that “confronting danger” is “in some ways romantic.”

Clinton , Obama will have a field day with this one and McCain will have to keep his head down. I thought the Hanoi Hilton was a prison do you suppose it really was a tourist hotel and McCain spent 6 years or so lounging around the pool?

Christian Education Must Press On

Reference, Opinion, The Christian Chronicle, February 2008, “Christian education must press on.”

I am a long time supporter of Christian education. Our son graduated, David Lipscomb University , then Georgia Tech. Our grandchildren attend Greater Atlanta Christian Schools. At a very simple level I am aware of some of the issues Christian education institutions face. I am convinced we, churches of Christ , are among the enemies of Christian education.

For Christian institutions to survive churches of Christ and individuals must support them. Even while they may be doing things the individuals and congregations do not agree with. Christian schools are not churches. I have had members of the church tell me they would prefer their children attend the University of Tennessee instead of David Lipscomb University . They are concerned DLU will lead their children astray as if UT will not. The same year (1989) we took our son to DLU a friend told me how it bothered him to take his daughter to Ohio State University and leave her in a dormitory, one of two, nicknamed by the students, Sodom and Gomorrah .

Support requires that congregations of churches of Christ as well as individual Christians provide money, students, qualified teachers, administrators, board members, coaches, maintenance personal, custodians and on. Failing this, the institutions must look elsewhere.

Christians withhold their financial as well as moral support at the slightest suggestion the institution does something the individual does not agree with. It is not reasonable to expect a president of a university to keep students, members of the faculty, boards of directors, alumni, congregations, individual Christians happy, all at the same time.

I hope Christians will wakeup before all Christian schools have disappeared, which with the current mindset of the church is inevitable. Considering various sources report that from the time they begin the 7th grade until they graduate from college, somewhere between 60% and 90% of our children are leaving the church. Sad.

We must press on, there is no option.

Monks, Not Like They Used To Be

In the March National Geographic there is a story “ Bhutan ’s Enlightened Experiment. Guided by a novel idea, the tiny Buddhist kingdom tries to join the modern world without losing its soul.”

Now we know that won't work.

One picture shows people building a road of rocks. The workers are among the tens of thousands of migrant workers, many of them Indians who do the manual labor that Bhutanese citizens often shun, such as building roads. Does that have a familiar ring to it?

Another picture shows a boy 12 and a girl 9 showing off their hip-hop moves in a bar owned by their mother. Another has teenage girls in tight jeans. Another shows actors making a horror and musical movie, fake blood and all hoping for a hit song because it almost guarantees success.

The one that drew my attention was one showing student monks. The caption reads

In a room he shares with six other monks at a monastery in Wangdi Phodrang , Chencho is honest about his calling. “It’s hard work memorizing all the texts, but afterward you have a comfortable life, so it’s worth it,” he says. “In the village, work is never ending.”

Remember those monks in Viet Nam who set themselves on fire? What are the odds that Chencho would do that? Monks just aren’t what they used to be.

Typical White People and Typical Black People

Muslims hate us for our politics. We have to get our troops out of ALL countries and bring them home. The Muslim terrorists did not begin to really hate the U.S. until George41 left troops in the Middle East. How would we like other countries leaving their military within our borders. I would not. We set ourselves up for 9/11 by our policies. We are cowards. We attack defenseless Iraq but leave North Korea alone. The world sees we are cowards thus 9/11 and we still cannot win a war.

All minorities experience discrimination every day. From whom, anyone who is not of their minority.

White people experience discrimination every day. From whom, anyone who is not white and have the position to discriminate.

Tiger Woods still cannot play on the Masters' course except for the Masters tournament. Women still cannot play at the Masters course for any reason. I believe that is discrimination.

Obama and Clinton and Florida and Michigan

Concerning Florida and Michigan and the Democratic primaries, either the Democratic Leadership has the authority to establish rules or it does not. If they do not then what are they? If they have the authority then being required to follow the rules they establish is not punishment but enforcement. Florida and Michigan knew going in they were violating the rules and should have expected the rules to be enforced. Democrats lead the way in no one being responsible; look at Bill Clinton and now Hillary.

The way the candidates respond to the situation tells us a lot of how their administration will conduct themselves. We already know how the Clintons conduct business the only questions are how will Obama respond and will the voters be so stupid as to elect another Clinton.

Sen. Clinton has as much experience leading the Executive Branch as Mrs. Favre has leading the Greenbay Packers. Being married to someone does not qualify anyone.

Capping Lawsuits...

Recently there was a commentary in the local paper against capping lawsuits against Nursing Homes, Hospitals, Doctors etc. The author belived his mother to have been ignored.

It is sad to lose a mother. It is especially tragic when it may have been avoided, at that time at least. It is inexcusable when neglect and carelessness adds to or causes the suffering and/or death. And it may be criminal.

Nursing home care is not the only place where the elderly are not treated as they should be. Remembering my parents’ experience with doctors leads me and my two sisters to believe a lot of and maybe most doctors are not as inquisitive as they should be because the patient is old. As Mr. Fly verifies the elderly are often ignored because the doctors believe they are just looking for attention. Aches and pains, while possibly serious and life threatening, are often overlooked because aches and pains are part of getting old. Tests look for the obvious and other possibilities are not considered, because the patient is old.

BUT, that is not reason enough to cause the rest of us to pay higher prices for nursing home care or for doctor care.

I have no idea what Mr. Fly’s mother was paying for care but would we be willing to pay double the amount, triple the amount, how about ten times the amount?

All law suits must have a cap and a time limit for payout. Why should the family of the “victim”, with wise investment of a settlement live their lives in luxury? Why should their children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and on down the line, not have to work a day in their lives while the rest of us pay higher prices for health care, medical care, health insurance, and medical insurance?

There are good nursing homes. It is mandatory for families to stay in touch with the patients as well as the workers as well as the administrators.

Recently a friend mentioned how curious it was that two parents can care for twelve children but twelve children cannot care for two parents.