Learn from History

Source:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/10/24/white-house-to-announce-major-home-lending-revamp/

Clearly, either our president doesn't learn from history, or he does and he hates America and wants us to fail.  I'll let you decide that on your own.  Take a look at the article.  Here are some of the winning parts of it:

The revamped Home Affordable Refinance Program, which aims to avert foreclosures, is expected "to encourage new, lower-cost loans" to more homeowners who are paying more than the value of their properties, a senior administration official said ahead of Obama's Monday announcement. 

So we learned from history that you can't force banks to give loans to people who can't pay them, it will backfire.  Today, he wants to force banks to give out loans to people who are having trouble paying for them...

The three-year-old Home Affordable Refinance Program was supposed to allow refinancing for up to 125 percent of a home's value on mortgages owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, but has been stuck on tight eligibility rules, including excluding people with high credit scores or other attractive risk offers. 

Here we go again. Same plan, different names, different wording, different packaging, but same failed ideas that sunk us already.

The changes to the loan programs are specifically intended to bypass Congress, which is stalled on agreeing to new plans to increase jobs and jump-start the economy. But it won early support from Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer of California and Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia. 

So, dodging congress.  That is the act of a dictator.  He might as well say, "What I want is what matters, forget checks and balances."  Also, Republicans, take note of the name of a traitor to the cause.  Sen. Johnny Isakson, from Georgia, way to go failing the people who voted you into office.

If people aren't outraged by the ego, the arrogance, the Marxist ways of this man, then we have fallen very far indeed from the America which once was so great.

TSA Expanding to Highways!

Source:
http://www.newschannel5.com/story/15725035/officials-claim-tennessee-becomes-first-state-to-deploy-vipr-statewide

And here I always thought Tennessee was one of the free states.  This is absolutely disgusting.
Take a look at the article and video.  Then come back and tell me what you think about it.  Is there a reason for this?  Will it really benefit anyone?  Do we want to see lines of traffic on the highways that resemble the security lines in airports?  How many miles will we need to stop again and again and again?  How many other questions come to mind regarding this institution of oppression? 
I have no doubt that there are those who genuinely think this is 'for the best.'  But, anytime you restrict, remove, deter, subdue, or otherwise violate the individual person's liberty, you are losing the fight.  The very fact that the TSA exists, and keeps expanding it's roles, is proof that the terrorists are winning more every week, than they ever could have by waging outright war on us.

What ever happened to the America where I was raised?

Overkill

Source:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11291/1183002-100.stm

Police calling in excessive force is nothing new these days.  It just happened again locally.  This time the civilian who experienced an overdose of justice is a 75 year old woman.  With a mental problem.  Who they know.

I understand that police officers need to take steps to protect themselves.  But, doesn't it seem strange to call out SWAT ("...a nearby special response unit...") for 1 lady?  It strikes me as a severe case of overkill, and it does nothing to give me confidence in those who are supposed to serve and protect us.


The really ironic thing is that I am well known as quoting Rule 37 from Schlock.

Catchup

OK, so I hope to soon be back to posting regularly, if not daily, again soon.  The garage claims I will have my car back by early next week at the earliest, the house was closed on this past Friday, the crazy week at work has passed, and things are starting to settle again.  There are a few other things up in the air, but I'm not ready to discuss them here yet.

Stay tuned though, more excitement to follow!

Update

So, I'm still without a vehicle, looks like a week and a half to two weeks until the shop is able to complete repairs.  Being without a car is extremely difficult in this day and age. So I'm left with wandering the streets aimlessly....
I mean bumming rides off friends, borrowing cars, and acting pretty pathetic overall. 
That said, I expect posting will be a little light until then.  I've got some things in mind, and I'm going to try to get a couple posts up over the next two days.  There is a lot in my brain itching to get out.  So it is coming, just please be patient with me until I'm able to devote time to it again. 
Thank you all so much for your readership, it is greatly appreciated!

In the mean time, be alert, be thinking, and be safe.

Light Posting

My apologies, but I will not be posting much for a few days.
I was in a severe car accident.  While I am physically fine, I am suddenly facing more challenges than I prefer to face.  Getting to and from work without a car is difficult, let alone handling everything else I need to do. 
Oh well, time to tighten the ol' belt buckle, and get cracking!

Halal Meat (Islamic Version of Kosher, if you will)

My mother sends many emails my way which she thinks will interest me, or things that might cause me to be concerned, or any of a various number of reasons.  I really enjoy this aspect of our relationship, as it allows me to see some of her thoughts.  I don't often get to hear her thoughts, as my schedule is incredibly hectic, so this is an opportunity for me to 'see' what's on her mind.  Recently she sent me a forward which went on about how Halal meat is taking over at the grocer, and how we need to avoid it.  Initially, the writing felt like it was very fear-inspired, not logic-inspired. And I think most of you know me well enough to know that I'll dig into any topic.  If you want a copy of the email, mention so in the comments, along with your address, and I will send it your way.  For the sake of conserving space here, I will not include the text.

On the surface, I see what they are saying, and what the issue is.  I'm going to put my thoughts below in list form.

1 - We should in no wise support Islam.
2 - This is meat essentially offered to idols.
3 - There is nothing wrong with eating meat offered to idols.  (There is no such thing as an idol, only God is real.  1 Cor 8.)
4 - Politically I have issues with this happening.
5 - As a Christian I couldn't care less where my meat originates, as long as it is handled in a way which poses no threat to my safety.
6 - For the sake of my brother or sister who has a weaker conviction, I won't eat this halal meat if it would cause them to stumble. 


Conclusion:
I will try to avoid it if I can, not out of religious obligation, but out of a two fold reason: to attempt to send the message to the grocers that they don't need to carry that product, and to not support financially the making of the meat.  That is where my conviction originates.  If a brother or sister would be uncomfortable knowing the meat was prepared by those actively worshiping a false god at the time of it's preparation, I will abstain from it as well.

A friend of mine who lived in Israel for a number of years had this to say when I chatted with him about this:

Besides, I had ground lamb and pork-free hard salami, both halal, that were INCREDIBLE

What are your thoughts about eating this meat?


1 Corinthians 8:4-7
1Co 8:4  Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one.
1Co 8:5  For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords,
1Co 8:6  yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.
1Co 8:7  However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.