Gay Marriage or Gay Union

States changing their State Constitution may not be the end of the discussion.......

The Constitution, Article IV, Section 1,

Full faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state. And the Congress may by general laws prescribe the manner in which such acts, records, and proceedings shall be proved and the effect thereof.

Section 2, Paragraph ,

The citizens of each state shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several states.

Writ of Habeas Corpus

Individuals complaine that the government not abiding by the term Habeas Corpus is not legal.

First the term Habeas Coprpus is defined as:

"(that) you have the body. It refers to various writs requiring that a detained person be brought before a court to decide the legality of the detention or imprisonment."

The Constitution, Article I, section 9, paragraph 2

"The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it."

Article III, Section 3 paragraph 1,

Treason against the United States, shall consist of levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.

Paragraph 2,

The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason.

What part of citizens or foreigners plotting to destroy the United States is not rebellion or invasion? It appears to me people caught should be tried on the spot and hanged for spying not imprisoned for treason.

Shame on Us

War is not a movie. When a person is killed they are gone forever. When they are grievously wounded they remain that way as long as they live. Think of the number of our military we have allowed our President to send into war situations, with no countrywide recognition that it is a war situation, and they comeback and can never dress themselves alone again. They cannot perform any personal hygiene act, alone, ever.

War is as close to Hell as one will get while in the world and we let our President sacrifice our military personnel on the altar of politics....

No matter how many people are around you, when the bullets start flying you are alone................

How Will American Businesses Compete?

A Harris Poll of 23,000 U. S. residents employed full time within key industries and key functional areas showed some surprising results.

The overwhelming majority agree the vast majority of the workforce in their organization possesses far more talent, intelligence, capability and creativity than their present jobs require or even allow.

About the same percentage acknowledge that they are under immense pressure to produce more for less.

People face the expectation to produce more for less in a terribly complex world, yet they are simply not allowed to use a significant portion of their talents and intelligence.

Additional results showed:

• 50% were satisfied with the work they have accomplished at the end of the week;
• 37% said they have a clear understanding of what their organization is trying to achieve and why;
• 20% were enthusiastic about their team’s and organization’s goals;
• 20% said they have a clear “line of sight” between their tasks and their team’s and organization’s goals;
• 20% percent fully trusted the organization they work for;
• 17% felt their organization fosters open communication that is respectful of differing opinions and that results in new and better ideas;
• 15% felt their organization fully enables them to execute key goals;
• 15% felt they worked in a high-trust environment;
• 13% have a high-trust, highly cooperative working relationships with other groups or departments;
• 10% felt that their organization holds people accountable for results.

Key industries included:

• Accommodation/food/services;
• Automotive;
• Banking/finance;
• Communications;
• Education;
• Health care;
• Military;
• Public administration/government;
• Retail trade;
• Technology services; and
• Telecommunications.

Key functional areas included:

• Accounting;
• Administrative;
• Assistant/secretary;
• Advertising/marketing professional;
• Business executive;
• Computer specialist;
• Education administrator;
• Financial professional;
• Government professional;
• Health care professional; and
• Sales agent/representative.

A comparison would be to a soccer team where:

• only four of the eleven players on the field would know which goal is theirs;
• two of the eleven would care;
• two of the eleven would know what position they play and know exactly what they are supposed to do;
• nine of the eleven would, in some way, be competing against their own team members rather than the opponent.

Tolerating People Who Will Kill Us

Recently our local newspaper reported a motorcycle collided with a pickup truck and that the two people on the motorcycle died as the result of the collision. The head-on collision was caused by the pickup truck turning into the lane of the oncoming traffic. The driver of the truck, as luck will have it, had minor or no injuries. The paper reported that the driver of the pickup has a long history of driving infractions. County Court records show the driver pleaded guilty within the past year to two counts of DUI for offenses that had occurred a little more than a month apart. Also reported was that he had pleaded guilty to charges of probation violation and was convicted of domestic assault. Additional charges include charges of assault and unlawful possession of a firearm. Talk about a danger to society.

Why does a civilized society tolerate individuals such as this, who choose to DUI, politically correct language for driving while drunk, stoned, high or buzzed?

Tennessee law requires those who drive motorcycles to wear helmets. Our representatives want to protect motorcyclists while at the same time permitting those who elect to drive drunk to continue to drive drunk thus being a danger to all of us. While I did not know either of these victims, parents have lost a son or a daughter, possibly siblings have lost a brother or sister, possibly a child has lost his or her parents and friends have lost friends.

If we are OK with seat belt laws, helmet laws, laws prohibiting various drugs, laws with penalties for using firearms during the commission of a crime, laws protecting non-smokers how about laws protecting the sober?

The public must get our politicians, local and statewide, to stop this insanity? I doubt if this will happen because the majority of the citizens of our county and our state are willing to take their chances because just maybe they or a relative or friend just might be that criminal one day. If that is not a correct assumption, why do we tolerate such heinous acts?

When are citizens going to stand up and demand that individuals, who show by their actions they are unwilling to live by the rules, be put away until they are willing to stop being a danger to the rest of us?

Wondering What The Geneva Convention Prohibits?

Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War

Third Geneva Convention - Wikipedia

REFERENCE GUIDE TO THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS

Islamic Americans Must Speak Out or Suffer

If a series of letter bombs were received, all in yellow envelopes, one would be prudent to look at all yellow envelopes received in their mail. Would you agree? I imagine you would. If all or 99.9% of terrorism is committed by men, of middle eastern descent, ranging in age 18 to 55 one would be prudent to pay particular attention to men fitting that description. Would you agree? I doubt it with political correctness at all that. If all or 99.9% of terrorism is committed by those of the Islamic faith, one would be prudent to pay particular attention to those of the Islamic faith. Would you agree? I doubt it again considering political correctness an all that.

Those of the Islamic faith are blaming everyone except those of their faith. Much like in Iraq today. The Iraqis are defenseless and blame everyone but themselves and those of their country. If we look into our own history we had times in this country similar to what is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan but we had people willing to stand up and say enough and therefore Quantrell's raiders, the KKK, the Arian Nation, and others were stopped. By whom? Did we ask another country to save us? No. We did it ourselves. People of Northern European descent are the only folks who will defend themselves.

In this country, if those of the Islamic faith want to be trusted and accepted they MUST speak out against what members of their faith are doing through out the world. Until they do I can only take their silence as agreement with and support of those activities.

Jesus Is An Historical Figure

We do not need the Bible to prove Jesus was and is an historical figure. Jesus is just as much a documented historical figure as Julius Caesar. Do you believe Alexander the Great lived? You can believe Jesus lived. We do not need any more faith to believe the historical facts contained in the Bible than we need to believe the Encyclopedia or a Dictionary. Why do you believe what you read in an Encyclopedia or Dictionary? Does the Encyclopedia make history or does it report history? Does a dictionary define words or does it report definitions? Does being in the Bible make what is written true or is what is written, in the Bible, because it is true? A major difference between the Bible and other books of History is the Bible’s authors were inspired and as a result, the Bible contains the most reliable letters and books ever written. We have a tendency to consider secular history and Biblical history as if they are different. The Bible is the most accurate history ever recorded. All other history has been written by the King or by the winner.

Have you ever considered why the Israelites preserved the writings as they did? The descendants of Abraham were responsible for preserving the scriptures that repeatedly rebuked them for their idolatrous backsliding from God. They could have altered and preserved writings more flattering of them. Many of the nations surrounding Israel often chose to embellish their history, intentionally excluding derogatory remarks or events concerning themselves.

The descendants of Abraham believed God inspired the writers and that they described the coming Messiah, who according to these Scriptures, is not only destined to save the nation of Israel, but the entire world. The Old Testament writings describe and predict the coming Messiah. The New Testament documents the fulfillment of those predictions.

Since “secular” history verifies “Biblical” history on like topics it appears, we would be wise to heed what the Bible has to say concerning subjects not addressed in secular history.

Jesus is a real person and is as historical and just as real as any of the people we read about in history books.

The Historical Jesus, Fact or Fiction?

Tacitus, (A.D. 56 to 117), was a member of the Roman provincial upper class with a formal education who held several high positions under different emperors such as Nerva and Trajan. Tacitus' works contain a wealth of information about his world, but details on his own life are scarce. His most famous work, which was also his last work, Annals, was a history of Rome written approximately A.D. 115. The Annals covered the period from the death of Augustus Caesar in the year 14 A.D. up to Nero’s death in June 68 A.D and filled at least sixteen books. In the Annals Tacitus told of a Great Fire of Rome, which occurred in A.D. 64, Nero, the Roman emperor in office at the time, was suspected by many of having ordered the city set on fire. Tacitus wrote:

”Nero fabricated scapegoats---and punished with every refinement the notoriously depraved Christians (as they were popularly called). The governor of Judea, Pontius Pilatus, had executed their originator, Christ, in Tiberius’ reign. But in spite of this temporary setback, the deadly superstition had broken afresh, not only in Judea (where the mischief had started) but also even in Rome.”

Tacitus hated both Christians and Christ. He would have nothing positive to say about what he referred to as a “deadly superstition.” His testimony establishes beyond any reasonable doubt that the Christian religion not only was relevant historically, but that Christ, its originator, was a verifiable historical figure of such prominence that He even attracted the attention of the Roman emperor himself!

Suetonius, who wrote around A.D. 120, had access to the Imperial and Senatorial archives and to a collection of memoirs and public documents, and lived nearly 30 years under the Caesars. Much of his information about Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero comes from eyewitness of the events he described.
Suetonius wrote:

“Because the Jews at Rome caused continuous disturbance at the instigation of Chrestus, he (Claudius) expelled them from the city.”

Luke mentioned the expulsion.

Acts 18:2
And he (Paul) found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. …

Chrestus is thought to be a misspelling of Christos, the Greek word that translates Messiah.

In (A.D.49) when Claudius issued his decree forbidding Jewish worship in Rome, Christians fell under this ban for they were still considered a Jewish sect. There had been rioting in the city over one "Chrestos" presumably provoked by a disagreement between Rome's Jews and Christians over Jesus.

Suetonius further noted:

“Punishments were also inflicted on the Christians, a sect professing a new and mischievous religious belief.”

Suetonius as well as the Roman government hated the band of rebels.

Pliny the Younger was sent by the Roman emperor Trajan to govern the affairs of the region of Bithynia. From this region, Pliny wrote to the emperor concerning a problem he viewed as quite serious. He wrote:

“Having never been present at any trials of the Christians, I am unacquainted with the method and limits to be observed in either examining or punishing them. In the meanwhile, the method I have observed towards those who have been denounced to me as Christians is this: I interrogated them whether they were Christians; if they confessed it I repeated the question twice again, adding the threat of capital punishment; if they still persevered, I ordered them executed.”

Pliny’s use of the term Christians corroborates it as a generally accepted term, recognized by both the Roman Empire as well as its emperor. Pliny used the term Christ to refer to the originator of the “sect.” He noted that those who professed Christianity

“Affirmed, however, the whole of their guilt, or their error was that they were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to do any wicked deeds…”

Christians, with Christ as their founder, had multiplied in such a way as to draw the attention of the emperor and his magistrates by the time of Pliny’s letter to Trajan. As a result, it cannot be denied that Jesus Christ existed and was recognized by the highest officials within the Roman government as an actual historical person.

Hostile Roman witnesses who bore testimony of Jesus never depicted Jesus as the Son of God nor as the Savior of the world. They described Jesus as a man. Yet even though they missed the mark regarding the truth of Who He was, they documented that He was.

Josephus is an important Jewish witness. He was born into a Jewish upper class priestly family around A.D. 37. His education in biblical law and history was the best of his day. Josephus wrote Antiquities of the Jews between September 93 and September 94. In Antiquities, Josephus wrote:

“So he assembled the Sanhedrim of the judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James and some other companions and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned;”

This well-educated, Jewish historian wrote about a man name Jesus Who actually existed in the first century.

Even if we did not have the New Testament or other Christian writings, we would be able to conclude from such non-Christian writings as Josephus, the Talmud, Pliny the Younger and others that:

• Jesus was a Jewish teacher;
• Many people believed that he performed healings and exorcisms;
• He was rejected by the Jewish leaders;
• He was crucified under Pontius Pilate in the reign of Tiberius;
• Despite this shameful death, his followers, who believed that he was still alive, spread beyond Palestine so that there were multitudes of them in Rome by 64 A. D.;

All kinds of people from the cities and countryside---men and women, slave and free---worshiped him as God by the beginning of the second century.

Another group of writers that make up a significant group of witnesses to the existence of Christ is the group of men who wrote from the end of the first century to the eighth century A.D. Their writings are Christian in their orientation, the early date of many of the writings provide evidence that Christ was a genuine historical person.

Polycarp and early Christian who lived approximately 69-155 A.D. wrote several letters, including one titled The Epistle to the Phillipians. In it he explains that Jesus “suffered even unto death,” and quotes several commandments and remarks from Jesus.

Iraneus, who lived from approximately 120-202 A.D. notes several things about Polycarp:

For I have a more vivid recollection of what occurred at that time of recent events…so that I can even describe the place where the blessed Polycarp used to sit and discourse—his going out, too and his coming in—his general mode of life and personal appearance, together with the discourse which he delivered to the people; also how he would speak of his familiar conversations with John, and with the rest of those who had seen the Lord; and how he would call their words to remembrance. Whatsoever things he had heard from them respecting the Lord, both with regard to His miracles and His teaching, Polycarp having thus received [information] from the eye witnesses of the Word of Life, would recount them all in harmony with the Scriptures.

Several other early church writers can be documented and referenced along similar lines. Origen lived from 185-253 A.D., Justin Martyr from 100-165, Tertullian from 160-215, and Clement of Alexandria from 150-215. Each of these men, and others from comparable time periods, wrote extensively about Jesus

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John provide more information about Jesus than any other sources. But can these books be considered historical evidence or are they writings whose reliability and objectivity are in question? How well do the records of these four men compare with historical documents? They do not claim to be merely history books but they do claim the historical facts they relate are accurate with no errors.

Acts 1:1-3
In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, [2] until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. [3] To them he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

Pontius Pilate: All four gospel accounts refer to Pontius Pilate. His inquisition of Jesus at the insistence of the Jewish mob is one of the most memorable events in the life of Jesus. Three times, he explained to the mob that he found no fault with Jesus

John 18:38
Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, "I find no guilt in him.

John 19:4
Pilate went out again and said to them, "See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him."

John 19:6
When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him."

Wanting not to upset the mob even more than it already was Pilate ceremonially washed his hands, symbolically absolving himself of any responsibility and then gave Jesus to be scourged and crucified.

For most of the 2000 years since this event, the only references to Pilate were by Josephus and Tacitus. The record of his life showed he was the Roman ruler over Judea from 26-36 A.D. The records show he was a very rash and violent man.

Luke 13:1
There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

Pilate had people killed while the people were making sacrifices.

Besides an occasional reference to Pilate in various records, there were no inscriptions or monuments that documented the life of Pontius Pilate. That is until 1961.

In 1961, Pilate moved from a figure known only from ancient literature to a figure attested to by archaeology. The Roman officials who controlled Judea during Jesus’ time, are thought to have made their headquarters in the ancient town of Caesarea as indicated by two references by Josephus to Pilate’s military and political activity in that city. Located in Caesarea was a large Roman theater that a group of Italian-sponsored archaeologists began to excavate in 1959. Two years later, in 1961, researchers found a two-foot by three-foot slab of rock that had been used “in the construction of a landing between flights of steps in a tier of seats reserved for guests of honor.” The Latin inscription on the stone proved that originally it was not meant to be used as a building block in the theater. On the stone, the researchers found what was left of an inscription bearing the name of Pontius Pilate. The entire inscription is not legible, but one researcher commented, “The name Pontius Pilate is quite unmistakable, and is of much importance as the first epigraphical documentation concerning Pontius Pilate, who governed Judea A. D. 26-36. What the complete inscription once said is not definitely known, but there is general agreement that originally the stone may have come from a temple or shrine dedicated to the Roman emperor Tiberius.” It would be difficult to find a stronger piece of evidence for the New Testament’s accuracy. Now known as “The Pilate Inscription,” this stone slab documents that Pilate was the Roman official governing Judea, and even uses his more complete name of Pontius Pilate, as found in

Luke 3:1
In the fifteenth year of
the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,

One last example:

Sergius Paulus the Proconsul of Cyprus

Throughout Paul’s missionary journeys. He and his fellow travelers came in contact with numerous prestigious people—including Roman rulers of the area in which Paul and his friends were preaching. If Luke had been fabricating these travels, he could have made vague references to Roman rulers without giving specific names and titles. But that is not what he did. In Acts, it seems Luke went out of his way to document specific cities, places, names and titles.

One is found in Acts 13.

Acts 13:4-7
So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. [5] When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in he synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them. [6] When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus (aka Elymas). [7] He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.

This permits a student of archaeology two areas to verify or prove false. First, did a proconsul rule the area of Cyprus and Paphos during the time of Paul’s work there? Second, was there ever a Sergius Paulus?

For many years, those who doubted Luke’s accuracy claimed the area around Cyprus would not have been ruled by a proconsul but by a propraetor.

Proconsul is a deputy or governor appointed and controlled by the Roman Senate. He was the highest ranking official on the island.

Propraetor is a elected official similar to our mayor or judge.

When Cyprus was annexed from Egypt in 58 B.C. in was considered an imperial province and would have been put under a “propraetor” not a proconsul. In 22 B.C., Augustus transferred it to the Roman Senate. Once given to the Senate, proconsuls would have ruled Cyprus, just as in the other senatorial provinces.

In addition to Cyprus becoming a senatorial province, archaeologists have found copper coins from the region that refer to other proconsuls who were not much removed from the time pf Paul. One coin called “a copper procousulare coin of Cyprus,” pictures the head of Claudius Caesar, and contains the title of Arminius Proclus Proconsul…of the Cyprians.

As impressive as Luke having accurately recorded the specific title is the fact that evidence has become known that supports that the proconsul’s name, Sergius Paulus is as accurate. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia records three ancient inscriptions that could be possible matches. First, on the north coast of Cyprus, an inscription was uncovered that mentioned Paulus, who was a proconsul. Another Latin inscription was discovered that refers to a Lucius Sergius Paulus who was “one of the curators of the Banks of the Tiber during the reign of Claudius.” Finally, a fragment of a Greek inscription from a coin discovered in northern Cyprus refers to a Quintus Sergius Paulus as proconsul during the reign of Claudius. Regardless of which of these inscriptions actually connects to Acts 13, there were at least two men name Paulus who were proconsuls in Cyprus and at least two men named Sergius Paulus were officials during Claudius’ reign. Luke’s accuracy is confirmed again.

When someone asks “Is the life of Jesus Christ a historic event?,” he or she must remember that “if we maintain that the life of Jesus is not a historical event, we have to give up ancient history and deny that there ever was such an event as the assassination of Julius Caesar”. And we will have to deny the historical reliability of the New Testament documents.

Certain facts about Jesus are supported by at least as much reliable evidence as are a number of other historical facts known to us from the ancient world that we take for granted.

Faced with overwhelming evidence that Jesus lived on this earth is a fact that cannot be denied successfully. Critics do not like having to admit it, but they cannot deny that Jesus has had a greater impact on the world than any single life before or after. Nor can they deny that Jesus died at the hands of Pontius Pilate. The simple fact of the matter is that Jesus did exist and he lived among men just as recorded in the Bible.
Early Christians welcomed a full examination of the credentials of the message that they preached.

While Paul was on trial before King Agrippa, he said to Festus:

Acts 26:26
For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.

Author, Norman Anderson, wrote:

“It is impossible to say that no one has the right to be an agnostic. But no one has the right to be an agnostic till he has thus dealt with the question, and faced this fact with an open mind. After that, he may be an agnostic—if he can.”

Acts 9:22

But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.

Acts 17:3

explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ."

There are two issues,

• To understand the Messiah predicted in the Old Testament has come;
• To understand that Jesus is the Messiah.

Do you ever wonder how Paul proved Jesus was the Christ? Well, that is for another time.

We know Jesus lived. We can trust the Bible is true. We know Paul proved it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead and we know Paul was able to prove Jesus was the Messiah. We need to know the Bible.

Richard Carrier wrote on his website about the resurrection that:

“No amount of argument can convince me to trust a 2000-year-old second-hand report over what I see, myself, directly, here and now, with my own eyes. … I see no one returning to life after their brain has completely died from lack of oxygen. I have had no conversations with spirits of the dead. How can what this 2000-year-old second-hand tale … command more respect than my own eyes? It cannot.”

Although such an argument at first appears to be perfectly plausible, it encounters two major difficulties. First, there are things that took place in the past that no one alive today has seen or ever will see, yet they are still accepted as fact. The origin of life on this planet provides a good example. Regardless of whether a person believes in creation or evolution, they must admit that some things happened in the past that are still not occurring today…

Second, it is true that a dead person rising from the dead would be an amazing and astonishing event. People do not normally rise from the dead in the everyday scheme of things. Yet, wasn’t the specific point the apostles and other witnesses of the resurrection were trying to get people to understand? If Jesus truly rose from the grave never to die again—thereby accomplishing something that no mortal man had ever accomplished—wouldn’t that be enough to prove He was the Son of God as he had claimed? He had predicted that He would be raised from the dead. And He was!


While we do not need faith to believe the historical facts recorded in the Bible, it is a bold leap of faith to accept the Scriptures as the inspired revelation of God. Jimmy Jividen wrote; the inspiration of the scriptures is accepted, not by proving a proposition or witnessing a paranormal event that claims to be a miracle, but from choosing to believe the testimonies of qualified witnesses. John wrote:

John 21:24
This is the
disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

1 John 1:1-3
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— [2] the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— [3] that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

That is all I have to say so…………

Tennessee Walking Horses, What Is Soring?

Horses that are shown for cash prizes, trophies and ribbons are "trained" in various ways. Some are subjected to one form of abuse or other in the name of such "training" and for the glory and monetary gain in their value.

The Gaited Horse breeds are victims of Chemical and/or Mechanical "Soring".

Some of the Chemicals of choice by the Sorers include Mustard Oil, fuel oil and other petroleum products, Collodian and Salicylic acid. These chemicals cause terrible burning pain, death, occasionally, and inevitable scarring.

When the USDA/APHIS recognized this, they created the NO SCAR rule which in turn drove the Sorers to the use of Salicylic Acid which is applied liberally to the scarred areas and literally "burns off" the scarred skin while the horses lie in excruciating pain without the benefit of anesthetic.

If the horse survives, this "new" skin is scar free but thickened and sparsely haired.

Many horses, after this "treatment" have open lesions and/or "scurfing" on their pasterns but are "passed" as "clean" by the Sored-Horse Inspection Organizations when the USDA/APHIS is not present at their shows. The USDA/APHIS can afford to attend only 10% of the Horse Shows.

Mechanical Soring can be just as hideous and just as painful for the horses. Stacks (up to 5" high and sometimes filled with wet sand for weight) and chains are affixed to the front hooves (mostly after the horse has been Chemically sored) causing the horse to snatch his painful front hooves up off the ground and throw his weight onto the back of the spine, hips and rear legs causing the "knee up the nose, butt dragging" image of the Big Lick Show Horse.

Pressure Shoeing causes extreme pain and some of the Sored-Horse Trainers stop short of this practice, though many do not.

Road Foundering is a common practice before showing causing exactly the amount of pain you would expect with "acute founder".

Heavy Plantation Shoes ("manhole covers" up to 60 oz. in weight) accompanied by a Chemical "touch-up" and chains on already painful areas, also produce the sought after but bastardized "gait".

Horses that are "chemically sored" not only suffer instant pain but can also be subject to Nervous System Disorders, sterility, genetic mutations, spontaneous abortions, intestinal tumors etc. and most die from Colic.

Mechanical Soring, aside from the instantly produced pain, causes irreparable damage in young horses to the tendons, knees, cerebral spine, hips, tendons and hocks of the rear legs. Show horses are subjected to this torture from as young as 14 mos. of age. The Show Careers of these unfortunate horses are short lived and these horses have the highest mortality rates and the lowest insurable ages-up to 12 years!

Steve Irwin

The death of Steve Irwin is regrettable. I never knew him but to read that someone you have watched on television has died is usually a bit unsettling. But I suggest there is a very important lesson to be learned.

I do not like reality TV and a lot of Steve Irwin's shows were just that. I see little difference with watching a man dodge a crocodile and watching a person eat bugs or watching a NASCAR wreck. People say Steve had a way of exciting people but so do terrorist attacks or car wrecks or natural disasters. Reality TV plays to the lowest of the inclinations of human beings. When I came across Steve provoking a crocodile or snake I changed channels. I realize if he or the animal was harmed it would have been edited out. This is supported by the video of his death not being aired. I imagine the longer that tape is around the more likely it will appear on the Internet. I encourage those who possess it to destroy it.

Steve made a living doing the very thing National Park Rangers are attempting to get tourists to NOT do and that is to intervene with an animal in their natural habitat.

Steve was reckless and he finally was caught and that is sad. He appeared to be a nice man but he had no respect for the animals. He thought he was faster or quicker or stronger or whatever and he was wrong. How close do you have to get to a stingray to have a nice picture? How long was the stingray's tail? I have no idea but it is only logical as you stay away from a crocodile's mouth or a bear's paws or a snake's fangs you stay away from a stingray's tail unless you believe you are faster or stronger or quicker etc. We have a CD of children's bear tunes and one track is on facts about bears. One fact the fellow gives is a bear can out run a horse so he tells the kids "no one and I mean no one can out run a bear." We have tourists here in Great Smoky Mountains National Park approaching bears feeding in a meadow. Sometimes there are cubs in the area but they don't deter the tourists. The tourists see them as cuddly and Steve Irwin encouraged such beliefs. He may have told the people to not do what he did but who do you believe listens to that admonition?

It would be nice if Steve's death served a purpose to make people wake up that animals are dangerous but nothing will change. Remember that young man and his girlfriend who were killed and eaten by a grizzly? They also had lost respect for the animals and lost Their experience did not deter Steve because he knew he was quicker, faster, etc. and he also was wrong. Feeding animals makes them see humans as a source of or as food.

Animals are dangerous and should be given lots of room.

Poof Goes Pluto

It's official--Pluto's out

The International Astronomical Union has voted to remove Pluto from the solar system--as a planet, that is.

Meeting in Prague over the past week, IAU members rejected a proposal to increase the number of planets to 12 by including Ceres, the largest known asteroid, which orbits between Mars and Jupiter; Charon, which has been considered Pluto's moon; and 2003 UB313, an object nicknamed "Xena" that was discovered in 2005 orbiting far beyond Pluto.

Pluto is now considered a "dwarf planet" because it has an oblong orbit that overlaps with Neptune's orbit.

A Show Worth Watching

Sadaam is on trial for killing some Kurds. Sadaam killing citizens of his own country, of which he is President and ultimate authority is unacceptable but the United States invading a sovereign country killing its citizens, disbanding the government and imprisoning the legally elected President is acceptable? Of course we may not like the elections but in Iraq it was a legal election.

President Clinton signed a UN agreement obligating the United States to abide by it, making it permissible for either the UN or World Court to hold accountable leaders of countries responsible for their actions against other countries. One of these days a smart Islamic Lawyer, educated in the United States of course, is going to test that agreement and come for our President via the World Court. Imagine Bush or another of our leaders showing up on television from the Hague. Won't that be a show worth watching....

Enunciate, Enunciate, Enunciate

There is a factory in Northern Minnesota which makes the Tickle Me Elmo toys. The toy laughs when you tickle it under the arms. Well, Lena is hired at The Tickle Me Elmo factory and she reports for her first day promptly at 8:00 AM. The next day at 8:45 AM there is a knock at the Personnel Manager's door. The Foreman throws open the door and begins to rant about the new employee. He complains that she is incredibly slow and the whole line is backing up, putting the entire production line behind schedule. The Personnel Manager decides he should see this for himself, so the 2 men march down to the factory floor. When they get there the line is so backed up that there are Tickle Me Elmo's all over the factory floor and they're really beginning to pile up. At the end of the line stands Lena surrounded by mountains of Tickle Me Elmo’s. She has a roll of plush red fabric and a huge bag of small marbles. The 2 men watch in amazement as she cuts a little piece of fabric, wraps it around two marbles and begins to carefully sew the little package between Elmo's legs. The Personnel Manager bursts into laughter. After several minutes of hysterics he pulls himself together and approaches Lena. "I'm sorry," he says to her, barely able to keep a straight face, "but I think you misunderstood the instructions I gave you yesterday..." "Your job is to give Elmo two test tickles.

Nothing Changes in the Middle East

Until the common folk in the middle east countries accept responsibility for their governments they can get along the best they can on their own. They hate us and they blame us. Let them stew in their own juices for a while. The moronic leader of Hezbollah saying if he had known Israel would react the way they did he would not have ordered those Israeli soldiers captured. I wonder why, because he said he had won. If the Lebanese people don't throw him out they deserve him and whatever suffering he brings upon them.

Those that hold to the Islamic religion say their's is a peaceful religion. That is a crock. With the 72 virgins their religion is based on 72 ejaculations and then E. D. Have you ever wondered what the women get while their men are screwing those virgins? Do we have any idea of what religion those virgins are members? They believe they are descendants of Abraham and Hagar. Abraham was a Chaldean and Hagar an Egyptian. This means Ishmael was 1/2 Chaldean and 1/2 Egyptian. Ishmael married an Egyptian woman so his direct children were 1/4 Chaldean and 3/4 Egyptian. The Bible records

"He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's
hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen."

Appears to have described the whole group doesn't it. What makes anyone think anything is going to change with those people?

The Origins of Labor Day. Jim Lehrer, NewsHour

The observance of Labor Day began over 100 years ago. Conceived by America's labor unions as a testament to their cause, the legislation sanctioning the holiday was shepherded through Congress amid labor unrest and signed by President Grover Cleveland as a reluctant election-year compromise.

Pullman, Illinois was a company town, founded in 1880 by George Pullman, president of the railroad sleeping car company. Pullman designed and built the town to stand as a utopian workers' community insulated from the moral (and political) seductions of nearby Chicago.

The town was strictly, almost feudally, organized: row houses for the assembly and craft workers; modest Victorians for the managers; and a luxurious hotel where Pullman himself lived and where visiting customers, suppliers, and salesman would lodge while in town.

Its residents all worked for the Pullman company, their paychecks drawn from Pullman bank, and their rent, set by Pullman, deducted automatically from their weekly paychecks. The town, and the company, operated smoothly and successfully for more than a decade.

But in 1893, the Pullman company was caught in the nationwide economic depression. Orders for railroad sleeping cars declined, and George Pullman was forced to lay off hundreds of employees. Those who remained, endured wage cuts, even while rents in Pullman remained consistent. Take-home paychecks plummeted.

And so the employees walked out, demanding lower rents and higher pay. The American Railway Union, led by a young Eugene V. Debs, came to the cause of the striking workers, and railroad workers across the nation boycotted trains carrying Pullman cars. Rioting, pillaging, and burning of railroad cars soon ensued; mobs of non-union workers joined in.

The strike instantly became a national issue. President Grover Cleveland, faced with nervous railroad executives and interrupted mail trains, declared the strike a federal crime and deployed 12,000 troops to break the strike. Violence erupted, and two men were killed when U.S. deputy marshals fired on protesters in Kensington, near Chicago, but the strike was doomed.

On August 3, 1894, the strike was declared over. Debs went to prison, his ARU was disbanded, and Pullman employees henceforth signed a pledge that they would never again unionize. Aside from the already existing American Federation of Labor and the various railroad brotherhoods, industrial workers' unions were effectively stamped out and remained so until the Great Depression.

It was not the last time Debs would find himself behind bars, either. Campaigning from his jail cell, Debs would later win almost a million votes for the Socialist ticket in the 1920 presidential race.

In an attempt to appease the nation's workers,
Labor Day is born

The movement for a national Labor Day had been growing for some time. In September 1892, union workers in New York City took an unpaid day off and marched around Union Square in support of the holiday. But now, protests against President Cleveland's harsh methods made the appeasement of the nation's workers a top political priority. In the immediate wake of the strike, legislation was rushed unanimously through both houses of Congress, and the bill arrived on President Cleveland's desk just six days after his troops had broken the Pullman strike.

1894 was an election year. President Cleveland seized the chance at conciliation, and Labor Day was born. He was not reelected.

In 1898, Samuel Gompers, head of the American Federation of Labor, called it "the day for which the toilers in past centuries looked forward, when their rights and their wrongs would be discussed...that the workers of our day may not only lay down their tools of labor for a holiday, but upon which they may touch shoulders in marching phalanx and feel the stronger for it."

Labor Day: a good-bye to summer

Almost a century since Gompers spoke those words, though, Labor Day is seen as the last long weekend of summer rather than a day for political organizing. In 1995, less than 15 percent of American workers belonged to unions, down from a high in the 1950's of nearly 50 percent, though nearly all have benefited from the victories of the Labor movement.

And everyone who can takes a vacation on the first Monday of September. Friends and families gather, and clog the highways, and the picnic grounds, and their own backyards -- and bid farewell to summer.

Little League World Series and Saudi Arabia?

What is it with Saudi Arabia don't they do anything for themselves? They hire people from other countries to do their work because apparently, native born Saudis are unable to perform any useful tasks but does that include sports, too? The team from Saudi Arabia playing in the Little League World Series does not contain one native born Saudi. The players are all children of foreigners working in Saudi Arabia, their managers are some of those foreign workers. American citizens representing the Middle East against American teams. Especially in this day that is disgusting. If those Americans like the Middle East so much let them stay there.

Individuals playing for a country should be required to have been, born in that country and be a citizen of that country for five years. It the LLWS does not adopt such a rule one day Saudi Arabia will pay the parents of talented baseball players millions of dollars to move to Saudi Arabia just long enough to allow those players to represent Saudi Arabia in the Little League World Series. Much like the New York Yankees does today.

Two Faith Systems: Intelligent Design vs Evolution

InProcess. Last Updated September 02, 2006

Why do we permit our educators to teach one faith system while rejecting another faith system

On the subject of Intelligent Design versus Evolution, an individual may select from two alternatives.

1. The heavens and the earth just happened.
2. The heavens and the earth were created.

Alternative 1: Over an unknown period, an unknown number of events spontaneously occurred resulting in nothing becoming matter. Then, over another unknown period, that matter evolved into some material that evolved into the universe and all forms of life. The reason and cause of the spontaneous actions are not addressed.

Alternative 2: Someone created matter from nothing. Then the matter was molded into the universe and all forms of life. Cause and why are addressed in the only literature that claims to know, The Bible.

Either our universe is the result of Intelligent Design or it just happened.

If the first alternative is correct then we are all accidents with accidental thoughts and emotions.

In efforts to prove the universe just happened various theories have been developed.

A “Theory” is:

A hypothesis that has been tested by experiments, and to which exceptions have been found. A theory can be used to predict phenomena;
a working hypothesis that is considered probable based on experimental evidence or factual or conceptual analysis and is accepted as a basis for experimentation

A “Hypothesis” is:

A tentative explanation of observed facts. A hypothesis is assumed tenable for the purposes of investigation. Every theory or law in science begins as a hypothesis can e confirmed by experiments, which are observations under controlled conditions. When observations or experimental data do not support the hypothesis, it must be changed or discarded.

Two of these theories are The Big Bang Theory and The Steady State Theory.

The Big Bang Theory
George Gamow (1904-68)

The universe began when a single point of infinitely dense and infinitely hot matter exploded spontaneously. The debris of this explosion began to fly away from the explosion point and is still flying and will keep on flying indefinitely. All the galaxies, stars, and planets were formed from this debris.

Time begins at the Big Bang, which happened about 12 billion years ago or 20 billion years ago. .

In 1927 the Belgian astronomer Georges Lemaite (1894-1966) suggested that at some time in the remote past all the matter in the universe was concentrated at one point. The universe began when this “primeval atom” exploded. Gamow, who showed that as the universe began from a “fireball”; leftover warmth from this primeval fireball still filled the universe, further developed this idea. This leftover radiation should now have a temperature of 3 Kelvin, or -454 degrees Fahrenheit.

Will the universe expand forever? There are two opposing views: the expansion may continue forever, or some day it may collapse back into the “primeval atom.” It is known as the Big Crunch. The name Big Bang was given by Fred Hoyle, who believed in the opposing steady state theory. It was meant to be a put-down when he first used it scornfully in a radio talk in 1950.

Steady State Theory
Herman Bondi (UKL b. 1919) Thomas Gold (US 1920-2004)
Fred Hoyle (UK 1915-2001

The universe has no beginning and will have no end. It is constantly producing matter and is expanding.

This theory is now considered flawed and the big bang theory is widely accepted.

The steady state theory includes the idea of spontaneous creation of matter. On the other hand, the big bang theory assumes that all matter that now exists also existed in the past. New matter is not being created. The steady state theory agrees with the big bang theory on one point: the universe is expanding.

The big bang theory holds that the universe had a beginning and will someday have an end. “The old problem of the beginning and end of the universe does not arise at all in the steady state theory, for the universe did not have a beginning and will not have an end, “ according to Fred Hoyle. “ Every cluster of galaxies, every star, and every atom had a beginning but the universe itself did not.”

Observational and experimental data favor the big bang theory and it is now considered the standard theory of the origin, structure, and future of the universe. Hoyle was a staunch supporter of the steady state theory and never gave up his belief in it.

Any theory that does not address the beginning of matter misses the point of the theory, to explain creation of the universe.

The disbelief in the existence of God is Atheism, defined as the disbelief in the existence of God or other deity, the doctrine that there is neither God nor any other deity. What facts support their disbeliefs? Atheism requires Alternative 1.

Those who believe, that God exists and is the power in Intelligent Design have faith that God is and that the Bible is the best way to know Him.

Those who disbelieve in the existence of God and consider the Bible to be not relevant also have faith. The Big Bang Theory depends on a single point of infinitely dense and infinitely hot matter but does not address its origin. From where did the matter come? Did nothing become this matter, how? How was it hot? The Theory makes major assumptions.

Looking at the second alternative, someone made the universe but who and how and when? If someone exists with the ability to make the universe et al, would it not be prudent to attempt to understand all we can about that someone and if that someone requires something of us?

The Bible is the only literature claiming to address the subject.

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Writers of the Bible consider the existence of God to be a fact. Contrast this with the developers of every alternative only claim “a theory.”

As to how the universe came into existence. Learned educators teach “Theories” as fact something even science does not do. To accept the “theories” requires “faith.”

Without the Bible, we have no documentation of the events that resulted in humankind’s origin. Without the Bible, we have nowhere to go to find out whom, how, and when. We are left with no hope of ever answering the questions.

We have two alternatives:

We can live with our ignorance continuing to search but with no hope of answering our questions.

Or

We can use the Bible to answer our questions.

Human beings do not accept ignorance well and will continue to search for answers.

Accepting the Bible requires faith as does rejecting the Bible. Faith to reject the Bible leads to ignorance and hopelessness. Faith to accept the Bible leads to knowledge and hope. Which is better? Is ignorance or knowledge to be sought? Is hopelessness or hope better to be sought?

God’s will is found in His word. Knowing God’s will is not about being smart. Knowing God’s will stems from a hunger and thirst to discover who He is and to develop a relationship with Him. The best way to know the Father is to read what He has to say in the Bible. There are as many opinions as there are people; however, our opinions about spiritual matters have little substance if they are not rooted in the Scriptures.

Romans 12:1-2 describes knowing God’s will through a lifestyle of living sacrifices. Growing in faith and living appropriately are tied together. The more mature spiritually, the more naturally our lifestyle will reflect it. When our behavior is according to biblical moral standards, our faith grows as we realize that our decorum is rewarding and makes sense. God fills us with spiritual blessings and knowledge of His will so that we can walk with Him and continue to grow closer to Him. As Moses said, "If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.”

Why would anyone intentionally remain ignorant of a Being powerful enough to create the Universe and all that lives both visible and invisible?

Do you ever wonder if we have any policies that make sense?

The NY Times reported in a news conference this morning ''The United States will do our part,'' Bush said. While the U.S. does not plan to contribute troops, it will provide logistical support, command and control assistance and intelligence.

He said it was ''the most effective contribution we can make at this time.''

Bush also said his administration was pledging an additional $230 million to help the Lebanese rebuild their homes and return to their towns and communities.

Hezbollah has already given each family,whose house was destroyed, $12,000 which somebody said was more than the peons make in a year and much more than the cost to replace the houses and furniture destroyed. We must not forget it is our friend, Israel, who we sell weapons to and support who have destroyed those houses. These people hate us and now we are going to give their government money and how much of that money do you think Hezbollah will enjoy? Surely Hillary or McCain will not do worse, do you suppose? If what we are doing is sanity I vote for a little insanity at least for a while.

Can You Explain The Logic?

Sadaam is on trial for killing some Kurds. Sadaam killing citizens of his own country, of which he is President and ultimate authority is, unacceptable but the United States invading a sovereign country killing its citizens, disbanding the government and imprisoning the legally elected President is acceptable? Of course we may not like the elections but in Iraq it was a legal election.

Clinton signed a UN agreement obligating the United States to abide by it, making it permissible for either the UN or World Court to hold accountable leaders of countries responsible for their actions against other countries. One of these days a smart Islamic Lawyer, educated in the United States of course, is going to test that agreement and come for our President via the World Court. Imagine Bush or another of our leaders showing up on television from the Hague. Won't that be a show worth watching....

Performance Enhancing Substances

It seems that each week brings new reports of a sports figure being accused of using performance enhancement substances. These are not athletes and it is not sport. An athlete would never take illegal substances because that would be to admit they are not good enough to compete. These are business people trying to get an edge on the competition by cheating so they can get the big contract. It may be competition but not sport. Microsoft competing with Google is not sport it is business. Ken Lay cheating was not sport it was illegal and he was going to jail. Cheaters should be banned for life on one offense. Until they are, we know the governing bodies approve of the use of performance enhancers to increase ratings. Until only athletes are competing records are even more meaningless than usual.