Something to Ponder ... Ronald Reagan

"It is not my intention to do away with government. It is, rather, to make it

work -- work with us, not over us; to stand by our side, not ride on our back. Government can and must provide opportunity, not smother it; foster productivity, not stifle it. It is no coincidence that our present troubles parallel and are proportionate to the intervention and intrusion in our lives that result from unnecessary and excessive growth of government. ... We shall reflect the compassion that is so much a part of your makeup. How can we love our country and not love our countrymen, and loving them, not reach out a hand when they fall, heal them when they are sick, and provide opportunities to make them self-sufficient so they will be equal in fact and not just in theory? ... We are a nation under God, and I believe God intended for us to be free. It would be fitting and good, I think, if on each Inauguration Day in future years it should be declared a day of prayer." -- Ronald Reagan

Something to Ponder ... Vance Havner

If you lack knowledge, go to school. If you lack wisdom, get on your knees! Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is the proper use of knowledge. --Vance Havner

Something to Ponder ... Tim Pawlenty

"We can't spend more than we have. ... This is no longer a matter of right versus left, liberal versus conservative, we can prove our conclusion on this by basic mathematics. The United States Federal Government from all sources, for all purposes, takes in $2.2 trillion a year. Keep that number in mind. $2.2 trillion a year. We have total unfunded liabilities of $65 trillion, $2.2 trillion in revenue, $65 trillion in total unfunded liabilities. That is more than 30 to 1 leverage. If the United States Federal Government were a bank regulated by itself, they would shut themselves down. We live in a nation where not long ago our United States Secretary of State [Hillary Clinton] was on rhetorical bended knee in communist China pleading with the Chinese to continue to buy our debt, because if they don’t buy our debt and other foreign sovereign wealth funds don’t buy our debt our beloved United States of America can’t pay its bills. The United States of America my friends is not a beggar nation."

-- Gov. Tim Pawlenty

Something to Ponder ... Massad Ayoob

"The whole subject of civilians carrying guns for self defense is discussed too much in the wrong places -- ACLU cocktail parties, gun club gatherings -- all placid atmospheres far removed from the terrifying reality of violent confrontation with the lawless. It should be discussed in prisons, where professional criminals are remarkably candid about their avoidance of armed citizens who can fight back. It should be discussed in rape crises centers. Ask a woman who has been raped, whether she ever wished she had a gun when it happened ... and whether she had bought one since. Her reply is likely to be “yes” to at least the first, and often to both. Talk to the bereaved who lost their loved ones to the streets. Talk to those who have been violated in their homes. Ask them how they feel about passive non-resistance. And when you have attuned yourself to the haunting fear that lives with them forever after their nightmare, you will be ready to talk with someone else who was in their place, but survived unscathed because they were armed. The contrast will be striking. These survivors don’t put notches on their pistols, and they don’t brag about what they had to do... The taking of a human life, no matter what the circumstances, is an unnatural act, an emotionally shattering experience that leaves its own scars forever. But none of those people regret what they did, and to a man, their first reaction was to go home to their wife and children and hug them, tightly and wordlessly." -- Massad Ayoob

Something to Ponder ... Spurgeon

My brethren, let me say, be like Christ at all times. Imitate Him in "public". Most of us live in some sort of public capacity -- many of us are called to work before our fellow-men every day. We are watched; our words are caught; our lives are examined -- taken to pieces. The eagle-eyed, argus-eyed world observes everything we do, and sharp critics are upon us. Let us live the life of Christ in public. Let us take care that we exhibit our Master, and not ourselves -- so that we can say, "It is no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me."

-- C. H. Spurgeon

Quick Hits

A few random thoughts on a whole variety of things :

• Its nice to have a quiet day at home. Threat of storms made us decide to pass on the Pulse Festival and the MMA event at the Cove today. For the record, to this point the sun is shining.
• I wasn't really hungry until my wife started canning homemade pizza sauce in the kitchen. Finding food as soon as I'm done typing this.
• I can't believe that my boys will be 17 in a week. Time marches on.
• I'm excited for the beginning of football. high school, college, and NFL.
• I am constantly reminded of how selfishly stupid people get when they lose their perspective. No matter how good you have it. You know who you are, Carlos Zambrano. That could be a whole post of it's own.
• I've been invited to help broadcast high school sports on www.broadcastsport.net again this year. It all starts with the football coaches show from 6-9 PM Monday night.
• My daughter (our youngest) is a high school freshmen this year.
• I'm anxious to see if Notre Dame is as good as they appear they should be. Are we being fooled again by false hope or are we underestimating what could be a special season?
• I wonder if the White Sox are going to try some waiver moves to get better or just let it ride for the rest of the year. That division is VERY winnable. Need to improve and make the hard decisions on playing time (Dunn) that will afford a chance to win.
• Confession: I went for food before finishing this. - just pretzels for now
• Always thinking of was to better manage my time for things that I want to do rather than settling for the now decisions.
• Grateful for the group of family and friends that I have.

That's it for now

Something to ponder ...

"The way to have good and safe government is not to trust it all to
one, but to divide it among the many, distributing to everyone exactly
the functions in which he is competent ...
- To let the National Government be entrusted with the defense of the
nation, and its foreign and federal relations ...
- The State Governments with the Civil Rights, Laws, Police and
administration of what concerns the State generally.
- The Counties with the local concerns, and each ward direct the interests
within itself.
It is by dividing and subdividing these Republics from the great
national one down through all its subordinations until it ends in the
administration of everyman's farm by himself, by placing under everyone
what his own eye may superintend, that all will be done for the best."
-- Thomas Jefferson

Something to ponder ...

"We must never cease to proclaim in fearless tones the great principles of freedom and the rights of man which are the joint inheritance of the English-speaking world and which through Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights, the Habeas Corpus, Trial by Jury, and the English common law, find their most famous expression in the American Declaration of Independence."
-- Winston Churchill

Its that time of year again.

Tonight it begins again. High School football. Although it's just a scrimmage, it is football. Looking forward to seeing my alma mater, which includes my son playing as a junior this year. High school teams are a part of the community, no matter where you're from. The team, the band, the students, parents, coaches, alumni, and school faculty all create a unique community that is bonded around the team. It rarely matters how great the team is.

I'm excited for the opportunity to watch may son play a game he loves. And to see and talk to friends that I may not have seen in a while. The lights, the grass, the sounds ... is it time for kickoff yet?

Something to ponder ...

"How bad do things have to get before you do something? Do they have to take away all your property? Do they have to license every activity that you want to engage in? Do they have to start throwing you on cattle cars before you say “now wait a minute, I don’t think this is a good idea.” How long is it going to be before you finally resist and say “No, I will not comply. Period!” Ask yourself now because sooner or later you are going to come to that line, and when they cross it, you’re going to say well now cross this line; ok now cross that line; ok now cross this line. Pretty soon you’re in a corner. Sooner or later you’ve got to stand your ground whether anybody else does or not. That is what liberty is all about."
-- Michael Badnarik