Henry Morris, one of my favorite writers, dead at 87
Writer of:
Morris also was at the forefront of a King James Version “Defender’s Study Bible” (1996). That’s MY Bible, and I LOVE it!
News Story HERE
Archive for February, 2006
Who can get by with just one blog?
These days there are some people who just have more than one. Not sure of their reasons, but as for me, I have decided to create a new and separate photo blog.
My reasons:
One, to upgrade this version of WordPress scares me.
Two, to upgrade this version of Word Press scares me.
Ok, so I am a big chicken. But I’ve put a lot of work into this particular blog and the idea of possibly wiping out my labors in an upgrade is frightening to say the least.
So it looks like I am geek enough to have two blogs, just not geek enough to stay current with the versions.
Three, When I DO get the courage to upgrade this blog, I will have got my feet wet with the other blog and already know how to work it.
Four, I decided a blog to put my feelings, thoughts, emotions, and my love of photography with a photo and sometimes a quote might be a nice change…
Let me know what you think, it’s in its most very beginning stages…. Barb’s Photo Blog
Today’s music…
Today John told me that he took his son and one of his friends to a skateboarding event called BOOMSHANKA! 3 that was sponsored by various government agencies, some health related, and the city council of Bayswater in WA. It was to promote health, the skateboarding event, and had a lot of good things to say to kids about being active for good health.
There were youngsters there from 5 years old and upwards attending the event.
What struck him was the music played at the event. The lyrics were extremely sexually explicit and considering there were very young ears in attendance, he felt it very unappropriate. Specifically one song was about men doing all kinds of things, in all kinds of ways, to the “ho’s” they chose to degrade in song.
No sooner do we finish this discussion, I go to DrudgeReport that leads me to this article, “It’s hard out here for a censor”.
Apparently, the Oscars are having a time trying to figure out which words to allow in a song up for an Oscar, and which not. So far the ones not allowed are: “f*ck”, “sh*t”, and “nig***”". What IS allowed are: “B*tch” and “ho’s” - those are OK by the Oscar’s standards. Well, I can’t boycott the Oscars, because I never watch them anyway, but, isn’t it interesting that the two words ALLOWED are degrading to women?
What were the mothers and fathers doing at this Skateboarding event? Not standing up for their daughters, that’s for sure.
We really need to teach our young ladies not to stand for this. They truly don’t know they don’t have to take it. No wonder I see these young girls pimping themselves out on sites like MySpace and such in skimpy attire. If their mom’s and dads don’t stop it, if the state and city councils promote it, if its OK on the Oscars, no one is there to TEACH them any different, in fact, its the opposite, they are fed daily this is how they are supposed to be, someone’s “b*tch & ho”
My Dream Camera…
Erma Bombeck
It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else.
I love my fuji, but a gal can dream, can’t she?
EOS 20D Digital SLR Outfit w/Canon 18-55mm Lens
EOS 20D Digital SLR Outfit w/Canon 18-55mm Lens
Heartily
“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily …” (Colossians 3:23)
Said my daughter in law, Miranda to Enric, after inspecting the flat tire revealed on a trip from Wisconsin to Maryland.
What could have been a time of dispair for many, was a time for her to make light of a situation, stuck on a highway with a tire that looked like that.
You have to admit, when they got a flat tire, they did it heartily .
My family and I LOVE Brian Regan
Often Listening to…..
I’m wearing my, uh, "Hey, I’m getting fat clothes." …Started untucking. I don’t know what to eat. My doctor told me to read, uh, food labels. You know, so I was in the store the other day, I was reading a Fig Newtons label. I’ve always liked them and I was trying to see if it was okay to eat them, you know. Everything looked pretty good, the fat content and everything. So I’m thinking, "I could, I could eat these." I looked at the serving size… two cookies. Who the heck eats two cookies? I eat Fig Newtons by the sleeve. Two sleeves is a serving size. I open them both and eat them like a tree chipper. [Immitates tree chipper noise] Fig Newton shavings coming off the side. Gotta put a Newton catcher and empty that bag out as a snack. What they hell are they talking about, "two Fig Newtons"? They’re the size of a postage stamp. "You want another one?" "Oh, I don’t know. I’ve already had two whole entire Fig Newtons. Maybe I could try to muscle one more down, but I don’t know… Mm-mm… I am stuffed to the rafters!" They- they’re nuts! We got an ER here. We got a "three-Fig-Newton-eater". "How many did he have?!" [CRP] "What is he, nuts?!" [CPR] "Doesn’t he read?!"
Who’s coming up with the serving sizes? A serving size of ice cream is a half a cup. What- what is that? Is that like a joke some guy put on there? "Hey come here. Look what I put for the serving size. [Points] Did Charlie see it? Charlie come here. [Waves Charlie over] Look what I put for the serving size. I just did it as a joke, but it’s going out like that. I don’t know what I should do. It’s on all the trucks. …Just let it go, I guess." I think a serving size of ice cream is when you hear the spoon hit the bottom of the container. You know, when you can’t do this no more. [Scrounging bottom of container] I even rip the side. [Licks] I don’t know what they’re talking about… Half a cup of ice cream.
I don’t know what in the hell is going on with cranberries, but they’re getting into all the other juices! Whoever the salesmen is for cranberries, he’s doing a great job. He’s showing up everywhere. "Hey, what do you got? Some apples? Put some cranberries in there. We’ll call it a cran-apple, go 50-50." "What do you got? Grapes? How about cran-grape." "What do you got? Mangoes? Cran-mango." "What do you got? Pork-chops? Cran-chops!" Why don’t you back off, cranberry man. [Pushes away] Why don’t you take your sales trophy and have a vacation.
I had some Pop-Tarts this morning. Yeah, my doctor told me to eat more fruit. What better source than a thin layer in a strawberry frosted Pop-Tart? …Melted butter on top… I’m looking at the Pop-Tarts box, and I noticed they have, uh, directions on there. [Looks around] I give up on this species. They have two full sets of directions. They have, uh, toaster directions. Which, I’m not making this up, the toaster directions are longer than one step. I don’t know how it’s possible that the directions are longer than one… You’d think it would be, [Reads Box] "Step 1: Toast the Pop-Tarts… Go ahead, toast ‘em… It’s okay… Hey are you still reading this?" But they’ve managed to break it up into smaller increments. These are the actual toaster steps. I wanna be in the room watching someone who has to consult these steps. "Okay, Number one: Remove pastry from pouch. [Astonished look of confusion] [Removes pastry] O-kay… Yeah… I see where they’re going with this. We are banging on all cylinders now. Okay, Number two: Insert pastry, oh okay, vertically! [Confused hand motions] …into toaster! [Looks around, confused, for toaster] …I gotta get a toaster!" It’s like two of like seventeen toaster steps. And then they have, uh, microwave directions. You can microwave a Pop-Tart. That just blew me away that you could do that. How long does it take to toast a Pop-Tart? A minute and a half if you want it dark?! People don’t have that kind of time? Listen, if you need to zap-fry your Pop-Tarts before you head out the door, you might want to loosen up your schedule. And I swear, it says "Microwave on high for three seconds"! That’s all. I don’t think I want to wake up and be eating in three seconds. You know, the alarm goes off… [Alarm goes off] [Hits alarm] [Shoves Pop-Tart in mouth] It’s late, I gotta get outta here! If you’re awake and eating and hauling in three seconds, it’s time for a change of lifestyle.
[Commercial]
So, I’m trying to work out. I don’t know what to do. I want to do something easy. There’s no such thing, you know? I thought yoga was easy. I went out and I bought a yoga video tape. I bought the beginners yoga tape. I couldn’t do anything on the whole hour. Nothing. Just fast-forwarding. "Uh, can’t do that. Can’t do that. Can’t do that. I know I can’t do that." This woman in like a soothing voice, "Simply take… the bottom of your right foot… and place it on the small of your back." [Lifts leg backwards] "Now take your left leg… throw it over the back of your neck like a scarf… and breathe." [Tries to lift other leg, struggles] "I can’t breathe!" They had a thing called the relaxation pose which I couldn’t even do. Wh- what kind of shape am I in? I can’t even relax. I couldn’t do it. [Laughs] "It’s time for the relaxation pose. Kneel down on the floor, with your toes pointed back, behind you. Sit down on your heels. [Whispers]And re-laaaax!" I can hear my feet bones cracking! Relax… If she really wanted me to relax she would say, "Go get your favorite pillow. Curl up on the couch. Throw this tape away. [Whispers]And re-la-aax! Re-la-aaax!"
So what do you do, you know? I joined a health club. That’s intimidating, [Points up] always having some big, giant guy showing you around. "Hey, thinking of joining here? Follow him." I felt like a little monkey. [Reaching up, holding his hand. Walking on tip-toes] "Where we going, Thunder?" They gave me a clipboard for my first day. Can you feel like more of a loser with a clipboard? "I’m new! I’m supposed to check things as I see them! [Notices something, checkmarks] And I think the guy was making up muscle names just to play games with me. "This machine right here is for your flactoid." "That’s the toid I’m working on." Then he leaves, I don’t remember anything he said. All I know is, I don’t think I ever felt so alone in my life. I’m in a health club with a clipboard and nobody’s talking to me. …I had black socks on. All I knew is, I didn’t want to follow these big guys who were able to move the entire rack of plates, you know? I don’t want to go next and only be moving only two plates. [Works machine] "Clank! Clank! Clank! I’m the two-plate guy! Clank! Who wants to spot me?! Clank!" So I get away from these guys, and I go over to this other area, where there’s nobody around. I got into this one thing, but I got into it wrong, apparently. I don’t know where your arms and legs are supposed to go, so I just get in there and just start moving stuff. [Pushes and pulls] This guy comes up, "Hey buddy, would you mind getting out of the painter’s scaffolding?" [Climbs out slowing] "Just checking the exits."
I’ve been watching these, uh, these strong man shows. You seen these things? It’s got these big… nordic looking guys… they’re neck starts at like the top of their ears. There’s no vowels in their name. Their name is like Kttksvrdgrdgn. How do you call him for dinner? "Kttksvrdgrrrrrrrrrr! Get your brother, Gttsbrgnglvn. Gttsbrgnglvn! We’re having goulash!" I’m not making fun of them, you know, in case one of them’s here. It’s a competition that I think is weird. They’re not lifting weights, it’s like, "Alright, Kalkervick, we filled these grand pianos with molten lead. See how many you can hurl in that third-story window in thirty seconds." [Lifts pianos and throws a few] [Struggles on one, screams] I’m a home, "Put it down! They don’t need to be up there! I’m sure of it. Your back’s gonna snap like a twig!" You’d think one of them would say, "Why don’t we rig up a pulley system? [Pulls ropes]
[Commercial]
How do you get healthy, you know? I have no idea what to eat, and I have a friend who swears by food combinations. You heard of this nonsence? She’s nuts. She’s like "You know what? You can, you should eat food combinations, and that way you can eat whatever you want. It’s just the combinations of how you put the food together. [High-pitched] You can eat whatever you want!" And then her, her examples are like, "Like you wouldn’t want to eat like, um, steak and potatoes, together. But you could have like a lemon rind, and, and raisin skins. Not the whole raisin. Take the skins and steam em! [High-pitched] You can eat whatever you want! You can, you can eat whatever you want!"
In the store I saw that, uh, "peanut butter and jelly in the same jar" stuff. What in the heck is that? Is there a point to that? I mean, I’m lazy, but, uh, you know, I wanna meet the guy that needs that, you know? Some guy going, "You know I could go for sandwich, but, uh, I’m not gonna open TWO jars. I can’t be opening and closing all kinds of jars. Cleaning… WHO KNOWS how many knives! If you’re that lazy, why not put croutons in there. Get the whole sandwich on one spoon. [Eats a spoonful] "Mmm! Scrumptious! I will have a second!" [Another spoonful] "Delectable! As was the first!" If you don’t want to clean the spoon you put on a squeeze bottle. [Squeezes into mouth] "Mmm! Lunch and no clean-up! Can life get better? I submit that it cannot!"
I eat like a kid. I like, uh, Chef Boy-ar-dee. Their ravioli, you know. But they have some stuff I’ve never seen in the real Italian food world, you know. You ever been in a nice Italian restaurant, "Hi, how are you? Um, I’d like to start with a nice bottle of chianti, and um, a couple of ceasar salads to get started. And um, I’m gonna have the beef-a-roni. Some Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for the lady." [Points slyly]
You know people refer to food differently in different parts of the country, I’ve come to find out. I grew up in, uh, Miami, Florida. Went to a small college in Ohio. My roommate, my freshman year, was from New Jersey. Our first night in the dorm, I had never met this guy, he goes, "Hey, uh, you wanna go halves on a pie?" I was like… [Looks around confused] I found out later he meant pizza. I had never heard that put like that in my whole life. I thought he wanted to get a pie. You know, I was like… [Stares] "You wanna get a PIE?" He was all excited, "Yeah, you know, I figured we’d go halves on a pie, you know? Celebrate. Split a pie." [Squints] "Well I hadn’t really thought about that… What are you? Little Jack Horner?" This guy wanted a pie. So, I wanted to be open-minded. It’s my first day in college. I’m like, "Yeah. Okay… Let’s get a pie. You- you seem to like pies." So we got half-pepperoni and half-pumpkin.
I like the International House of Pancakes. You know, I’ve always liked their pancakes. They’re good! I just don’t know who designed the roof to that place. [Forms steeple with hands] That’s a bit much, isn’t it? It’s like a cathedral. [Mimicks solemn church music] They’re just pancakes. You don’t have to worship em! [Sings as church choir] Pa-an-ca-akes. Pa-a-a-an-ca-akes. Pa-a-an-cakes.
[Commercial]
I’m wearing new contact lenses. I just had my prescription changed after six years. You ever wait that long? And then you’re like, "Man! I can see!" How can "instantly improved vision" not be at the top of your "to-do" list? "Eh, I’ll see ya tomorrow. I got a sock drawer I gotta sort out." So I- I go in for the eye test, and I don’t know about you, but I concentrate like crazy during the eye exam. You know? You don’t want to get no "D" on that thing. End up with these big, thick, coke-bottle glasses. [Holds hand like big lens] "I didn’t take it serious." [Looks around cockeyed] "Are you still in here?" So I go in for the big eye exam, and I don’t know about, but I, you know, I- I’m sitting in that chair, and they slide that big, giant thing on my face. [Holds hands up] "Are these my glasses?!" He held up a pair of glass, "Do you like it better like this? Or like this?" "Do you like this one? Or this one? I like this one, but I have to see this one again. Wait a second, this one… Wait, when I think about it, this one…" What’s going on with that test? I drive my eye doctor nuts with it, because I can’t commit! I can feel him losing his patience. He’s like, "Do you like number one, or number two?" [Indecisive] "Oh, I don’t know…" "Okay, let’s do it again. Okay, number one, and number two." [Exhales heavily] "I… I think we’re gonna be here a while." I’m surprised he doesn’t cover one with black tape. "Is the other one clearer now? Get outta here."
There’s too much pressure in the eye test. They do one test all the time. I don’t know what they’re looking for. All I know is, I get an anxiety attack in the middle of the damn thing. "Tell me the exact moment point A is directly over point B." I’m like, [Mouth agape, shaking, muttering] "Uhhhh- NOW! No! NOW! NOW! THEN!" I don’t know. I don’t know when it happened. I’m worried if I’m off by an eighth of a second, I’ll get like these big, giant hubble "coming attraction" glasses. [Waves hands slowly in front of face] "Woah, you must have messed up that A-B test." "Did I ever! Hence the corrective spectacles." What are they improving? My ability to watch cars pass on the highway? "They pass NOW! And they pass NOW!" "Man, you’re nailing it on the noggin!"
It’s weird in the exam room, you know? It’s just him and me… It’s dark in there… The door’s closed. I feel weird when he slides his chair up, uncomfortably close to you. [Creeks and walks forward] He’s like this far from my face. [Holds fingers up to nose] And he shines like this goofy light into my eyes for about five minutes. [Beathes heavily] "How you doin there?" "I’m a little uncomfortable. Can you back up a tad? You want a piece of gum?" He asked if I wanted trifocals. I’ve been away from the eye doctor too long. I didn’t know what he was talking about. Trifocals? He goes, "Yeah, you can see three different distances depending on where you look through the lens. You can see close, medium, or far away." I was like, I can’t even imagine getting used to that, alright? "There’s a book. There’s a plane. There’s alpha-centauri! Anybody have a need for that? "Is that a fly on my nose? Is that a comet?!"
So my eye doctor told me this, I’m not making it up. He goes, "You know you have one eye set a little bit higher than your other eye?" "No… I didn’t know that." He goes, "It’s no big deal. It doesn’t affect your vision or anything. I just though you might want to be self-conscious for the rest of your life."
You guys are great. Thank you all very much. [Waves goodbye]
Thank you, Señor Canyes
I have blogged more than a few times about the gift of music. I have been blessed many times in that arena.
This next collection of CD’s that I have just today ripped into mp3z came about to be a nice gift, but a curious one too.
An old online friend, Joan Canyes from Spain, seeing my collection was missing music by Dire Straits (I only had one CD of my own), had sent to me 3 more. A very nice gift.
Joan many times seemed like a figment of my imagination, he was very elusive and mysterious. When the CD’s came, I remember thinking, hey, he’s for real.
He didn’t manifest himself though, my last trip to Spain , and unfortunately to all my other disbelieving friends, became the butt of many jokes. They affectionately set a place for "Mr X" at every table and at the restaurants too. The trip was glorious, even without him joining my group of newly made friends on the internet, and so is the music. Thanks, Mr. Canyes.
Dire Straits, MP3 Collection:
1. Dire Straits - Angel of Mercy.mp3
2. Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms.mp3
3. Dire Straits - Communiqué.mp3
4. Dire Straits - Down to the Waterline.mp3
5. Dire Straits - Expresso Love.mp3
6. Dire Straits - Follow Me Home.mp3
7. Dire Straits - Hand in Hand (4:48)
8. Dire Straits - Lady Writer (3:45)
9. Dire Straits - Les Boys.mp3
10. Dire Straits - Lions.mp3
11. Dire Straits - Money for Nothing.mp3
12. Dire Straits - News.mp3
13. Dire Straits - Once upon a Time in the West.mp3
14. Dire Straits - Portobello Belle [Live].mp3
15. Dire Straits - Portobello Belle.mp3
16. Dire Straits - Private Investigations.mp3
17. Dire Straits - Romeo and Juliet.mp3
18. Dire Straits - Single-Handed Sailor.mp3
19. Dire Straits - Six Blade Knife (3:47)
20. Dire Straits - Skateaway (6:40)
21. Dire Straits - Solid Rock (3:27)
22. Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing (6:38)
23. Dire Straits - Telegraph Road [Live, Remix] (11:58)
24. Dire Straits - Tunnel of Love (8:11)
25. Dire Straits - Twisting by the Pool [Remix] (3:30)
26. Dire Straits - Walk of Life (4:08)
27. Dire Straits - Water of Love (5:29)
28. Dire Straits - What’s the Matter Baby? (3:20)
29. Dire Straits - Where Do You Think You’re Going? (3:49)
30. Dire Straits - Wild West End (5:12)
Ex-Official: Russia Moved Saddam’s WMD
“A top Pentagon official who was responsible for tracking Saddam Hussein’s weapons programs before and after the 2003 liberation of Iraq, has provided the first-ever account of how Saddam Hussein “cleaned up” his weapons of mass destruction stockpiles to prevent the United States from discovering them.”
“The short answer to the question of where the WMD Saddam bought from the Russians went was that they went to Syria and Lebanon,” former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense John A. Shaw told an audience Saturday at a privately sponsored “Intelligence Summit” in Alexandria, Va. (www.intelligencesummit.org).
Does anyone have any trouble believing that story? I frankly don’t.
The rest of the story HERE
Then and Now…
A little girl, asked where her home was, replied, “where mother is.”
~Keith L. Brooks
My little girl isn’t so little anymore, and while I am happy as can be she is still with me, it amazes me that even under my watch, how the changes come so fast.
One such change was recent, she declared she wanted her room completely redecorated. How could that be, I thought? We had it decorated very victorian, mauve, and very GIRLY!
Her first idea was to paint it black. I didn’t panic, but I thought she might regret that idea down the road.
After some discussion, black was modified to grey.
Room THEN:
As you can see it was a perfectly lovely room. The remodeling is still underway, but here is the new look:
A desk and a laptop replace the dolls…
A few childhood items still exist, likely out of respect from her yaya making this growing up collection. But they sit right next to her vase of black roses. 
Bush: U.S. on Verge of Energy Breakthrough
“Saying the nation is on the verge of technological breakthroughs that would “startle” most Americans, President Bush on Monday outlined his energy proposals to help wean the country off foreign oil.”
President Bush, I am very ready to be “startled”
I will believe it when I see it, but the news story is HERE
President’s Day
I don’t recall ever having a holiday for President’s Day when growing up…
Oh well, they sure do now.
In honor of President’s day, I thought to post some quotes by Abraham Lincoln; quotes on various subjects at a variety of venues.
AGRICULTURE
"Every blade of grass is a study; and to produce two, where there was but one, is both a profit and a pleasure."
–From the September 30, 1859 Address before the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society
"This leads to the further reflection, that no other human occupation opens so wide a field for the profitable and agreeable combination of labor with cultivated thought, as agriculture. I know of nothing so pleasant to the mind, as the discovery of anything which is at once new and valuable — nothing which so lightens and sweetens toil, as the hopeful pursuit of such discovery. And how vast, and how varied a field is agriculture, for such discovery. The mind, already trained to thought, in the country school, or higher school, cannot fail to find there an exhaustless source of profitable enjoyment."
–From the September 30, 1859 Address before the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society
AMBITION
"Every man is said to have his peculiar ambition. Whether it be true or not, I can say for one that I have no other so great as that of being truly esteemed of my fellow men, by rendering myself worthy of their esteem. How far I shall succeed in gratifying this ambition, is yet to be developed."
–From the March 9, 1832 First Political Announcement
"You are ambitious, which, within reasonable bounds, does good rather than harm."
–From the January 26, 1863 Letter to Joseph Hooker
ANARCHY
"There is no grievance that is a fit object of redress by mob law."
–From the January 27, 1838 Lyceum Address
"Plainly, the central idea of secession, is the essence of anarchy."
–From the March 4, 1861 Inaugural Address
APPEARANCE
"If any personal description of me is thought desirable, it may be said, I am, in height, six feet, four inches, nearly; lean in flesh, weighing on an average one hundred and eighty pounds; dark complexion, with coarse black hair, and grey eyes — no other marks or brands recollected."
–From the December 20, 1859 Autobiography
COLONIZATION
"If as the friends of colonization hope, the present and coming generations of our countrymen shall by any means, succeed in freeing our land from the dangerous presence of slavery; and, at the same time, in restoring a captive people to their long-lost father-land, with bright prospects for the future; and this too, so gradually, that neither races nor individuals shall have suffered by the change, it will indeed be a glorious consummation."
–From the July 6, 1852 Eulogy on Henry Clay
COMPASSION
"With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan…"
–From the March 4, 1865 Inaugural Address
DANGER
"At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide."
–From the January 27, 1838 Lyceum Address
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
"I have never had a feeling politically that did not spring from the sentiments embodied in the Declaration of Independence."
–From the February 22, 1861 Address in Independence Hall
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."
–From the November 19, 1863 Gettysburg Address
DESPOTISM
"When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretence of loving liberty — to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocracy [sic]."
–From the August 24, 1855 Letter to Joshua Speed
DETERMINATION
"If you are resolutely determined to make a lawyer of yourself, the thing is more than half done already."
–From the November 5, 1855 Letter to Isham Reavis
"I know not how to aid you, save in the assurance of one of mature age, and much severe experience, that you can not fail, if you resolutely determine, that you will not."
–From the July 22, 1860 Letter to George Latham
DIFFICULTIES
"The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise — with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disentrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country."
–From the December 1, 1862 Message to Congress
DILIGENCE
"The leading rule for the lawyer, as for the man of every other calling, is diligence. Leave nothing for to-morrow which can be done to-day."
–From the July 1, 1850 [?] Notes for a Law Lecture
DUTY
"Neither let us be slandered from our duty by false accusations against us, nor frightened from it by menaces of destruction to the Government nor of dungeons to ourselves. LET US HAVE FAITH THAT RIGHT MAKES MIGHT, AND IN THAT FAITH, LET US, TO THE END, DARE TO DO OUR DUTY AS WE UNDERSTAND IT."
–From the February 27, 1860 Cooper Union Address
EDUCATION
"Upon the subject of education, not presuming to dictate any plan or system respecting it, I can only say that I view it as the most important subject which we as a people can be engaged in."
–From the March 9, 1832 First Political Announcement
"Mr. Clay’s lack of a more perfect early education, however it may be regretted generally, teaches at least one profitable lesson; it teaches that in this country, one can scarcely be so poor, but that, if he will, he can acquire sufficient education to get through the world respectably."
–From the July 6, 1852 Eulogy on Henry Clay
"A capacity, and taste, for reading, gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others. It is the key, or one of the keys, to the already solved problems. And not only so. It gives a relish, and facility, for successfully pursuing the [yet] unsolved ones."
–From the September 30, 1859 Address before the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society
"The old general rule was that educated people did not perform manual labor. They managed to eat their bread, leaving the toil of producing it to the uneducated. This was not an insupportable evil to the working bees, so long as the class of drones remained very small. But now, especially in these free States, nearly all are educated–quite too nearly all, to leave the labor of the uneducated, in any wise adequate to the support of the whole. It follows from this that henceforth educated people must labor. Otherwise, education itself would become a positive and intolerable evil. No country can sustain, in idleness, more than a small percentage of its numbers. The great majority must labor at something productive."
–From the September 30, 1859 Address before the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society
EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION
"And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons."
–From the January 1, 1863 Final Emancipation Proclamation
"You dislike the emancipation proclamation; and, perhaps, would have it retracted. You say it is unconstitutional — I think differently."
–From the August 26, 1863 Letter to James Conkling
"But the proclamation, as law, either is valid, or is not valid. If it is not valid, it needs no retraction. If it is valid, it can not be retracted, any more than the dead can be brought to life."
–From the August 26, 1863 Letter to James Conkling
FREEDOM
"Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it."
–From the April 6, 1859 Letter to Henry Pierce
"I have here stated my purpose according to my view of official duty; and I intend no modification of my oft-expressed personal wish that all men everywhere could be free."
–From the August 22, 1862 Letter to Horace Greeley
"In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free — honorable alike in what we give, and what we preserve. We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best, hope of earth."
–From the December 1, 1862 Message to Congress
"We have, as all will agree, a free Government, where every man has a right to be equal with every other man. In this great struggle, this form of Government and every form of human right is endangered if our enemies succeed."
–From the August 22, 1864 Speech to the One Hundred Sixty-fourth Ohio Regiment
GENIUS
"Towering genius distains a beaten path. It seeks regions hitherto unexplored."
–From the January 27, 1838 Lyceum Address
GRIEF
"In the untimely loss of your noble son, our affliction here, is scarcely less than your own. So much of promised usefulness to one’s country, and of bright hopes for one’s self and friends, have rarely been so suddenly dashed, as in his fall."
–From the May 25, 1861 Letter to Ephraim D. and Phoebe Ellsworth
"In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all; and, to the young, it comes with bitterest agony, because it takes them unawares."
–From the December 23, 1862 Letter to Fanny McCullough
"I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom."
–From the Nov. 21, 1864 Letter to Lydia Bixby
HONESTY
"I believe it is an established maxim in morals that he who makes an assertion without knowing whether it is true or false, is guilty of falsehood; and the accidental truth of the assertion, does not justify or excuse him."
–From the August 11, 1846 Letter to Allen N. Ford
"Let no young man choosing the law for a calling for a moment yield to the popular belief — resolve to be honest at all events; and if in your own judgment you cannot be an honest lawyer, resolve to be honest without being a lawyer."
–From the July 1, 1850 [?] Notes for a Law Lecture
INSURRECTION
"John Brown’s effort was peculiar. It was not a slave insurrection. It was an attempt by white men to get up a revolt among slaves, in which the slaves refused to participate."
–From the February 27, 1860 Cooper Union Address
LABOR
"Every man is proud of what he does well; and no man is proud of what he does not do well. With the former, his heart is in his work; and he will do twice as much of it with less fatigue. The latter performs a little imperfectly, looks at it in disgust, turns from it, and imagines himself exceedingly tired. The little he has done, comes to nothing, for want of finishing."
–From the September 30, 1859 Address before the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society
"By the ‘mud-sill’ theory it is assumed that labor and education are incompatible; and any practical combination of them impossible. According to that theory, a blind horse upon a tread-mill, is a perfect illustration of what a laborer should be — all the better for being blind, that he could not tread out of place, or kick understandingly. According to that theory, the education of laborers, is not only useless, but pernicious, and dangerous. In fact, it is, in some sort, deemed a misfortune that laborers should have heads at all."
–From the September 30, 1859 Address before the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society
LAWS
"Let every American, every lover of liberty, every well wisher to his posterity, swear by the blood of the Revolution, never to violate in the least particular, the laws of the country; and never to tolerate their violation by others."
–From the January 27, 1838 Lyceum Address
"Let reverence for the laws, be breathed by every American mother, to the lisping babe, that prattles on her lap — let it be taught in schools, in seminaries, and in colleges; let it be written in Primers, spelling books, and in Almanacs; — let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls, and enforced in courts of justice. And, in short, let it become the political religion of the nation; and let the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the grave and the gay, of all sexes and tongues, and colors and conditions, sacrifice unceasingly upon its altars."
–From the January 27, 1838 Lyceum Address
LAWYERS
"Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can. Point out to them how the nominal winner is often a real loser — in fees, expenses, and waste of time. As a peacemaker the lawyer has a superior opportunity of being a good man. There will still be business enough."
–From the July 1, 1850 [?] Notes for a Law Lecture
"Never stir up litigation. A worse man can scarcely be found than one who does this. Who can be more nearly a fiend than he who habitually overhauls the register of deeds in search of defects in titles, whereon to stir up strife, and put money in his pocket?"
–From the July 1, 1850 [?] Notes for a Law Lecture
"Let no young man choosing the law for a calling for a moment yield to the popular belief — resolve to be honest at all events; and if in your own judgment you cannot be an honest lawyer, resolve to be honest without being a lawyer."
–From the July 1, 1850 [?] Notes for a Law Lecture
PEACE
"The man does not live who is more devoted to peace than I am. None who would do more to preserve it."
–From the February 21, 1861 Address to the New Jersey General Assembly
"Peace does not appear so distant as it did. I hope it will come soon, and come to stay; and so come as to be worth the keeping in all future time."
–From the August 26, 1863 Letter to James Conkling
PERSUASION
" When the conduct of men is designed to be influenced, persuasion, kind, unassuming persuasion, should ever be adopted. It is an old and a true maxim, that a ‘drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of gall.’"
–From the February 22, 1842 Temperance Address
POSTERITY
"It is not merely for to-day, but for all time to come that we should perpetuate for our children’s children this great and free government, which we have enjoyed all our lives."
–From the August 22, 1864 Speech to the One Hundred Sixty-sixth Ohio Regiment
"There is more involved in this contest than is realized by every one. There is involved in this struggle the question whether your children and my children shall enjoy the privileges we have enjoyed."
–From the August 22, 1864 Speech to the One Hundred Sixty-fourth Ohio Regiment
PRAYER
"To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell."
–From the February 11, 1861 Farewell Address
"I am much indebted to the good Christian people of the country for their constant prayers and consolations; and to no one of them, more than to yourself."
–From the September 4, 1864 Letter to Eliza Gurney
"Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God’s assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces; but let us judge not that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered; that of neither has been answered fully."
–From the March 4, 1865 Inaugural Address
PROVIDENCE/RELIGION
"That I am not a member of any Christian Church, is true; but I have never denied the truth of the Scriptures; and I have never spoken with intentional disrespect of religion in general, or any denomination of Christians in particular."
–From the July 31, 1846 Handbill Replying to Charges of Infidelity
"I do not think I could myself, be brought to support a man for office, whom I knew to be an open enemy of, and scoffer at, religion."
–From the July 31, 1846 Handbill Replying to Charges of Infidelity
"The will of God prevails. In great contests each party claims to act in accordance with the will of God. Both may be, and one must be, wrong."
–From the September 1862 Meditation on the Divine Will
"I am very glad indeed to see you to-night, and yet I will not say I thank you for this call, but I do most sincerely thank Almighty God for the occasion on which you have called."
–From the July 7, 1864 Response to a Serenade
"If God now wills the removal of a great wrong, and wills also that we of the North as well as you of the South, shall pay fairly for our complicity in that wrong, impartial history will find therein new cause to attest and revere the justice and goodness of God."
–From the April 4, 1864 Letter to Albert Hodges
"We hoped for a happy termination of this terrible war long before this; but God knows best, and has ruled otherwise. We shall yet acknowledge His wisdom and our own error therein."
–From the September 4, 1864 Letter to Eliza Gurney
REASON
"Passion has helped us; but can do so no more. It will in future be our enemy. Reason, cold, calculating, unimpassioned reason, must furnish all the materials for our future support and defence."
–From the February 22, 1842 Temperance Address
"Happy day, when, all appetites controlled, all poisons subdued, all matter subjected, mind, all conquering mind, shall live and move the monarch of the world. Glorious consummation! Hail fall of Fury! Reign of Reason, all hail!"
–From the February 22, 1842 Temperance Address
RESPONSIBILITY
"Fellow-citizens, we cannot escape history. We of this Congress and this administration, will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal significance, or insignificance, can spare one or another of us. The fiery trial through which we pass, will light us down, in honor or dishonor, to the latest generation."
–From the December 1, 1862 Message to Congress
"I freely acknowledge myself the servant of the people, according to the bond of service — the United States Constitution; and that, as such, I am responsible to them."
–From the August 26, 1863 Letter to James Conkling
SLAVERY
"The Autocrat of all the Russias will resign his crown, and proclaim his subjects free republicans sooner than will our American masters voluntarily give up their slaves."
–From the August 15, 1855 Letter to George Robertson
"You know I dislike slavery; and you fully admit the abstract wrong of it."
–From the August 24, 1855 Letter to Joshua Speed
"The slave-breeders and slave-traders, are a small, odious and detested class, among you; and yet in politics, they dictate the course of all of you, and are as completely your masters, as you are the master of your own negroes."
–From the August 24, 1855 Letter to Joshua Speed
"I believe this Government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free."
–From the June 16, 1858 House Divided Speech
"This is a world of compensations; and he who would be no slave, must consent to have no slave."
–From the April 6, 1859 Letter to Henry Pierce
"One section of our country believes slavery is right, and ought to be extended, while the other believes it is wrong, and ought not to be extended."
–From the March 4, 1861 Inaugural Address
"I am naturally anti-slavery. If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong. I can not remember when I did not so think, and feel. And yet I have never understood that the Presidency conferred upon me an unrestricted right to act officially upon this judgment and feeling."
–From the April 4, 1864 Letter to Albert Hodges
"One eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the Southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was, somehow, the cause of the war."
–From the March 4, 1865 Inaugural Address
SOLDIERS
"Then came the Black-Hawk war; and I was elected a Captain of Volunteers — a success which gave me more pleasure than any I have had since."
–From the December 20, 1859 Autobiography
"I would like to speak in terms of praise due to the many brave officers and soldiers who have fought in the cause of the war."
–From the July 7, 1863 Response to a Serenade
"You say you will not fight to free negroes. Some of them seem willing to fight for you; but, no matter. Fight you, then exclusively to save the Union."
–From the August 26, 1863 Letter to James Conkling
"And then, there will be some black men who can remember that, with silent tongue, and clenched teeth, and steady eye, and well-poised bayonnet, they have helped mankind on to this great consummation…"
–From the August 26, 1863 Letter to James Conkling
"I am greatly obliged to you, and to all who have come forward at the call of their country."
–From the August 22, 1864 Speech to the One Hundred Sixty-fourth Ohio Regiment
UNION
"I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided."
–From the June 16, 1858 House Divided Speech
"I hold, that in contemplation of universal law, and of the Constitution, the Union of these States is perpetual."
–From the March 4, 1861 Inaugural Address
"I therefore consider that in view of the Constitution and the laws, the Union is unbroken; and to the extent of my ability I shall take care, as the Constitution itself expressly enjoins upon me, that the laws of the Union be faithfully executed in all the States."
–From the March 4, 1861 Inaugural Address
"The Union is much older than the Constitution. It was formed in fact, by the Articles of Association in 1774. It was matured and continued by the Declaration of Independence in 1776."
–From the March 4, 1861 Inaugural Address
"The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battle-field, and patriot grave, to every living heart and hearth-stone, all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."
–From the March 4, 1861 Inaugural Address
"I would save the Union. I would save it the shortest way under the Constitution. The sooner the national authority can be restored; the nearer the Union will be ‘the Union as it was.’"
–From the August 22, 1862 Letter to Horace Greeley
WAR
"Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure."
–From the November 19, 1863 Gettysburg Address
"Both parties deprecated war; but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive; and the other would accept war rather than let it perish. And the war came …. Fondly do we hope — fervently do we pray — that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away."
–From the March 4, 1865 Inaugural Address
Should we sell our ports to foreigners?
Peter Gadiel, who’s son died in the 9/11 attacks, doesn’t think so. In fact, he goes as far as to say, ‘the president has gone insane.” He adds, “We’re not securing our country in any way by selling our ports to foreigners.”
I tend to agree. Seems like most of the incovenience for “security purposes” have been passed on to us innocents, while the borders and now the ports just seem like fair game for just anyone.
This is one area I part big time with President Bush.
What if I Stumble?
My favorite DC TALK song…
[the greatest single cause of atheism in the world today
Is christians who acknowledge jesus with their lips
Then walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle.
That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.]
What if I stumble?
What if I fall?
Is this one for the people?
Is this one for the lord?
Or do I simply serenade for things I must afford?
You can jumble them together, my conflict still remains
Holiness is calling, in the midst of courting fame
Cause I see the trust in their eyes
Though the sky is falling
They need your love in their lives
Compromise is calling
(chorus)
What if I stumble, what if I fall?
What if I lose my step and I make fools of us all?
Will the love continue when my walk becomes a crawl?
What if I stumble, and what if I fall?
What if I stumble, what if I fall?
You never turn in the heat of it all
What if I stumble, what if I fall?
Father please forgive me for I can not compose
The fear that lives within me
Or the rate at which it grows
If struggle has a purpose
On the narrow road you’ve carved
Why do I dread my trespasses will leave a deadly scar
Do they see the fear in my eyes?
Are they so revealing?
This time I cannot disguise
All the doubt I’m feeling
What if I stumble?
Everyone’s got to crawl when you know that
You’re up against a wall, it’s about to fall
Everyone’s got to crawl when you know that (2x)
I hear you whispering my name [you say]
My love for you will never change [never change]
What if I stumble, what if I fall?
You never turn in the heat of it all
What if I stumble, what if I fall?
You are my comfort, and my god
Is this one for the people, is this one for the lord?
