Worth the watch. Church history in short

And if you like Gilbert and Sullivan's "The HMS Pinafore", you will love this video.

Someone has been pimping my pictures to different magazine publishers, and look what happened

You can fool some of the people...

Ripping off the system

I have had this happen to me several times in my life. I was standing in line at a grocery store during lunch break today. Ahead of me was a woman checking out, paying with WIC vouchers. Here she was dressed in a work outfit/suit. She had a cell phone with Bluetooth headset, and had just purchased one of the best toasters and cookware in the Wal-Mart store. They were already in her basket, paid for. Then she bought the most expensive juices in the store and baby formula with WIC vouchers. I get real tired of paying for others to eat. Sure, I can afford all that I have, and have money to spare. I was buying some stuff I wanted rather than needed, in addition to some stuff I had need of, and I can afford to do so. That is my prerogative. What irritates me is that someone who had on nice clothes, nice jewelry, bought better kitchen appliances than I own, and can afford a cell phone plan with wireless headset is suckling off the government teat at the expense of the taxpayers. Multiply this by millions of sucklers and we as a nation are being milked for every penny we have.

A few thoughts, trying not to be so depressed

I wrote a while ago about being a big brother/male role model for a tike I have gotten to know. I have gotten to know his mother fairly well, as well. She had some DVDs of video taken at different stages of his life by his grandmother on his father's side. I was watching one yesterday of him at 5 months. He was adorable then, too. But I could not take much of the video, since it was just footage of his parents and grandparents fawning over him, which was boring, but there was a more depressing aspect. Here I am about to turn 40 and I have never had children of my own. I wasted a dozen years of my life being fatherless. Now another one, resolving the marital issues. Even if I remarkably got married the day I got divorced, I would still have to wait another year before even thinking about having a baby, that is if I marry a nubile and fertile woman. I will be 41 by the time my first baby could even come out of the chute. Damn, that is depressing to me.

A hospital by any other name

I am fully aware of the fact that Johnston Memorial Hospital has a negative image. I have personally experienced some of the reasons for that image. However, changing the name of a hospital will not alter the quality of care or level of service one will receive at said facility.

The overhaul at JMH is aimed at changing people's perceptions of the hospital, Perpich said. JMH wants Johnstonians to get health care in their own communities instead of going to Wake County, he said.

Some people at the focus groups said JMH has a negative image. "It's in a small town," said Ron Marchesano of Clayton. "It's like a stigma attached to the hospital."

A name change might be a step in the right image direction, some residents said.

"Once you change the name ... I think that's really going to change the perception of the hospital for people," Laurel Grantham of Smithfield said.

If image determined the quality of health care, great. If not, so what?

Gun rights battle in the SCOTUS

Some of you may be aware that the Supreme Court has taken up the argument over the right/power (or lack thereof) of Washington, DC to ban gun ownership. I find it amusing that there is even any discussion over original intent necessary during the case. If people would simply take the time to read or study American history, they would know why the 2nd Amendment is included and what it means.

Anyway, there are two interesting articles that I came across during my morning news read. Here is one from The Washington Post and here is the other.

A quote from the Breitbart article:

The court has not conclusively interpreted the Second Amendment since its ratification in 1791. The amendment reads: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

The basic issue for the justices is whether the amendment protects an individual's right to own guns no matter what, or whether that right is somehow tied to service in a state militia.

A key justice, Anthony Kennedy, seemed to settle that question early on when he said the Second Amendment gives "a general right to bear arms." He is likely to be joined by Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas—a majority of the nine-member court.

I hope that majority does rule and the liberal gun grabbers' efforts perish.

I thought these were funny

As tasteless as this one is, I do admire the creativity.


This one has special meaning to me. If you have ever had someone make up a story about you, then you can appreciate why I find this especially amusing.

This is not a new idea. Why did it take so long for Selma to figure this out?

Many fire departments use their horn or siren system for regular tests, warnings, and alert systems. I remember the department in which I was a part had fire alarm pull boxes connected to a huge air horn that could be heard all through town and one could look on a published list what pull station was activated. Also, if school was canceled or a major conflagration was going on, the fire department's horn could alert the town. Now, Selma is just getting on board with this concept. Better late than never, I guess. And it only took WTSB two weeks to report this.

From the WTSB news site:

Town Of Selma Unveils New Tornado Warning System
The Town of Selma has a new tornado warning system that may be the first of its kind in Johnston County. The Selma Town Council recently approved a proposal by Fire Chief Phillip McDaniel to use the fire department’s old siren as a warning whistle to sound when the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning for the area. McDaniel said other parts of the United States, particularly the Midwest, use sirens as warnings for severe weather. McDaniel said the siren would only sound if weather officials have issued a tornado warning. McDaniel said the siren would blow three times in the event of a weather emergency. To get Selma residents accustomed to the sound, the siren, located atop the Selma Fire Station, will be tested each Friday at noon. McDaniel said the siren could be heard for a three-mile radius. “When you hear it, turn on your TV or radio to get more information,” Chief McDaniel said in the event of an emergency.

Once again, Bob Etheridge ignores the Constitution

This is why I refuse to vote for Bob Etheridge. He (and most of Congress) acts like he has never read the U.S. Constitution. He has filed a bill to give more money to public schools under the guise of homeland security. Allegedly, the bill will fund improved security at schools, as if that was the federal government's job. It is the LOCAL government's job to secure schools run by local governments. If the feds would stop making schools gun free zones and allow teachers and staff to possess concealed firearms, much of the gun violence would stop. Instead, people continue to pour money down a chasm of never ending futile efforts to stop evil people from being evil.

From WTSB's news site:

Ethridge To Introduce Bill To Help Schools With Security Needs
U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington), the only N.C. member of the Homeland Security Committee, has announced that he will introduce a comprehensive bill to improve federal efforts to help schools with their security needs. The legislation follows a multi-year effort to gather information from N.C. stakeholders about their school security needs. “Homeland security begins with hometown security, and federal support for local emergency preparedness and response makes our entire nation more secure,” said Etheridge. “Children spend the majority of their daylight hours in school, but schools are often overlooked when considering emergency preparedness and first responder needs. Given recent events at schools across the country, we as a nation simply must invest in emergency planning to ensure our children have safe and secure places to learn.” The Schools Empowered to Respond Act will provide increased federal guidance and access to resources to schools in developing and implementing their emergency response and preparedness plans. It will create a one-stop shop within the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate the department’s school security efforts and provide best practices for schools. The bill will give schools more access to federal funds and provide educators with an increased voice in state and local grant decisions. Etheridge crafted the legislation in response to the results of a survey of principals and superintendents in North Carolina’s Second Congressional District that found that although schools have emergency plans, they would like more assistance and direction from the federal government. The survey was followed by a nationwide Government Accountability Office study requested by Etheridge that reached similar conclusions. The legislation has the support of House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson. It does not create any new requirements or mandates for schools, but instead seeks to provide schools with more support for their security measures. As the former Superintendent of North Carolina’s schools, Etheridge has made school security his top priority on the Homeland Security Committee.

Yeah, ethanol sucks

Regardless of my views on ethanol as a fuel or the government mandates, I gave the idea of an ethanol plant in Selma a fair view, I believe. I also gave the building of an ethanol dispensing facility at one of the local oil terminals fair treatment at the Planning Board meeting. Still, I believe that ethanol is a boondoggle. Leave it to Walter E. Williams to have a great column on the ethanol scam. Read it here.

Racism goes two ways. Listen to the pastor of Barack Obama.

Never mind the fact that Obama is not poor and that Jesus was not Black. Don't let the facts stand in the way....

When you give away free stuff and free housing, people come out like cockroaches

I found this news story this morning. Hundreds of people were looking for a government hand out in Florida. People wanting to suckle off the government teat lined up for hours, some overnight, to get vouchers for housing assistance. Obviously, many, probably all of these people already had housing. Many have children. Most probably are on welfare and want more of a free ride.

Sadly, I know people like this personally. They are always waiting for the government or others to hand them cash, give them health care, give them housing, etc. Boca Raton, Florida nearly had a riot from people wanting something for nothing.

Watch the video clip on this web site and read the story. Obviously, the people standing in line are not starving. Many are rather plump. If they can not afford housing, then why are they pumping out babies that they can not afford? Why is it the government's responsibility to take care of them and their crumb crunchers? Why do MY tax dollars go to people who refuse to take care of their own selves, much less bring children into the world to have them supported by others?

I hate to sound harsh, but this is the reality. The situation in which these people find themselves is mostly self inflicted and we are expected to bail them out. Then, when the efforts are made to a reasonable extent, these same people whine about things not being fair. Sorry, but the government teat only has so much milk. Go suckle somewhere else.

Making online cowardice illegal?

I stopped allowing anonymous comments on my blog a while ago, since I have found that there are cowardly people in this world who want to have their say but do not want to take responsibility for their actions. I have also seen where people have posted comments then deny doing it. I have been a webmaster and a moderator on message boards, as well. I see anonymous posts from ubiquitous user names and hidden identities. It emboldens the cowardly to pick on others and take part in discussions that they normally would avoid.

I personally have no problem owning my commentaries. That is why I do not post anonymously and usually use my real name as my user name. If I am ashamed to write it, I should not post it. I hate the cowardly actions of some who have smeared me and bullied others. However, should the government have any say in this? No frickin' way!

In Kentucky, they see it differently.

Kentucky Representative Tim Couch filed a bill this week to make anonymous posting online illegal. The bill would require anyone who contributes to a website to register their real name, address and e-mail address with that site. Their full name would be used anytime a comment is posted.

There is no excuse for being a nanny to the world. This sort of garbage is exactly why we are losing our freedoms. Just because something is rude behavior does not mean that it must be legislated away. The very ones who say that you can not legislate morality are usually the ones who wish to do so, as in this case. Damn liberals.

For a non-obscene t-shirt? Come on, gimme a break!

So a teenager gets punished for wearing a t-shirt with just the IMAGE of a gun on it? What is this world coming to? When I was in school, most guys had a big Buck knife in a leather holster strapped to their belt. It was normal. Knives were seen as necessary tools, not weapons. School officials did not flip out. Sure, I got into trouble for wearing a t-shirt to school before, but in all honesty, it was obscene. This one, however, is not.

This quote in the article sums up the stupidity of political correctness.

an attorney for the school district said school must create a safe environment for students in the post-Columbine era, and bringing even the image of a gun to school violates the district's policy.