A New Green Vehicle

The above picture made me laugh out loud. I admit I have a warped sense of humor but that truck being parked there is hysterical. It demonstrates the absurdity of some "climate change" fanatics.

This picture made me think. Perhaps I should go looking for a new green vehicle. Maybe a Ford F-250 in a seafoam green with a dark green trim and green aluminum wheels. Or perhaps a green GMC Sierra 2500. We're going to need a new vehicle to tow the RV we're thinking of buying.

 

OK - all I could find was Army green but it's still green, right? That's what matters.

I think, in honor of AOC and the squad, John Kerry and the likes of Al Gore, when I go shopping for a new green truck I'll ask the dealer for a "Green New Deal." That should get me a better purchase price, right? I mean... it's science.

The left is in big favor of all things green so my truck purchase should be supported by them. Maybe some of them will help me pay for it too.

I Am A Blessed Man

 

This started out as a simple Facebook post but turned into a blog.

I was talking to my wife about my life and how remarkable it has been. It started with a picture of a clock store front in Wiesbaden, Germany, that is designed as a cuckoo clock. I've been in that store and someone posted it on Facebook today. It was a great reminder.

For a simple man with a high school education (and maybe one semester of college,) my life has been amazing. I've lived in ten different states. I lived in Germany for three years and in Puerto Rico for four. I've now lived in Texas for nine years, longer than I've lived anywhere in my life. I plan to stay here.

Joining the Air Force at age 19 was one of the best decisions I've ever made. It got me away from home and made me a man. I spent 8 years of my life in the Air Force - 3 of them in Germany. I also lived in California and Colorado. And I loved them all.

I got out of the Air Force because my wife and one year old son were in California and I was in Germany, with my bosses trying to convince me to stay. I couldn't do it. I went home to California and was lucky enough to get a job with the Bureau of Prisons. And after a few years I was once again travelling and living in different places. It seems that's what I was born to do.

I was a paramedic in the Air Force. I worked mostly in Emergency Rooms and can unequivocally say that with God at my side I helped save at least three lives. His choice, not mine. In the Bureau of Prisons one evening I stopped an inmate from stabbing another one to death by physically pulling him off. Probably not the smartest thing I've ever done but it worked out OK. I, and that inmate, are both still alive.

I've enjoyed all of the places I've lived, from my early childhood in West "By God" Virginia, to my teenage years in Ohio. The list of states includes Colorado (twice) and California, as I said, but also Connecticut, Alabama, Kansas, Florida, Kentucky and now Texas. I lived my first two years in Indiana but I honestly don't remember that.

With a couple of (large) exceptions life has been good to me. My son's death was devastating. His mom's early death hurt as well. But from those experiences I was able to write a book that has helped others who have experienced that loss. I have had people tell me so. And for that opportunity I'm grateful

Counting the United States I've been in 13 countries. While all were interesting in their own right, Israel was by far the best and most fascinating. I've visited 44 of the 50 US states. I need Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Alaska and Hawaii to complete my U.S. travels.

In 2015 I joined the Praise Band at our church. I'm not a professional musician by any means but I have some talent with an acoustical guitar and they let me play with them. If was one of the most rewarding things I've done. To be a part of the Sunday morning worship music and the Singing Christmas Tree was nothing short of amazing. Sadly, several surgeries and the Corona Virus put an end to that... at least for now. But I really enjoyed the opportunity to be part of the band.

I was chatting with an old friend this morning who said he is planning to move back to his home town and stay there. While I admire that idea, I had to tell him that honestly, after the life I've lead, I couldn't do that. I've been to too many places and seen too many things to end up back in small town Ohio. Not that there is anything wrong with it. It's just not for me.

I guess maybe I'm rambling but I have been blessed. As I said - I'm a guy with a high school education who has been given, and taken advantage of numerous opportunities. I'm a published author. And I have a second book in the works right now. I have an incredible wife and family. And so far we all are healthy and well. I've lost three friends to Covid but I've had several others who fought it and survived. For that I'm grateful to the Man in charge. Yeah... I know the word "Man" is politically incorrect but I don't care.

I guess what I'm saying is thank you. Thanks to God for His many blessings. Thank you to each of you who have been a part of my life. I have friends who are family (you know who you are) and even family who are friends... 😉

Thanks to all of you. I am a blessed man.

Democrat Hatred and the Constitution

I'm not a Constitutional scholar. I'm a high school graduate with a couple semesters of college and a whole lot of life experience. But I read and comprehend English very well.

This impeachment thing is the most ridiculous thing Democrats have done in my lifetime. The single article of impeachment derived by the House Democrats, while unethical and completely outside House rules, was legal since it was decided while Donald Trump was still President. Delivery of it to the Senate after President Trump left office was symbolic but stupid. And the trial promised by Chuck Schumer is unconstitutional.

Article I, Section 3, Clause 7 of the Constitution provides that the sanctions for an impeached and convicted individual are limited to removal from office and potentially a bar from holding future office. Nothing in the Constitution allows for trial or punishment of someone who no longer holds office, nor does it give the Senate the authority to conduct a trial of a civilian. The language also says "and potentially bar someone from holding future office," not "and/or potentially bar someone from holding future office." By the language of the Constitution you cannot do the second one without the first.

The Constitution specifies that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court will preside over impeachment trials. John Roberts, knowing a trial in this case would be unconstitutional and will likely end up in the Supreme Court if it goes forward, has declined to preside over it. So Democrats in the Senate have decided Senator Patrick Leahy will preside. Again, there is no provision in the Constitution that allows a Senator to preside over an impeachment trial. Therefore the trial would be unconstitutional.

Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are throwing the Constitution out the window in this debacle. They're making things up as they go along simply because they hate Donald Trump. They must really be afraid of him if they're willing to knowingly commit unconstitutional acts to prevent him from running for office again.

If Schumer proceeds with this trial he will make a mockery of the impeachment process and the Constitution. Sadly, he doesn't care. His desire to exact revenge on Donald Trump outweighs common sense and legality. The Democrats, and a handful of Republicans, are showing their true colors. It's not about justice. It's about hatred and vengence.

A Wake Up Call

I'll get some grief and disagreement for this but I'm OK with that. It's my blog, my opinion. I don't need approval.

I've been thinking about the violence in the country over the last year. Over the summer of 2020 we watched cities burn. Minneapolis had billions of dollars of damage to buildings and businesses.  Portland had rioting and destruction every night for nearly three months while their mayor supported the actions of the rioters... until they tried to burn down his apartment building. In Seattle, rioters took over an entire section of the city, killing two innocent people, and the Police Chief retired because the City Council wouldn't allow her officers to intervene.

Many people died in the violence. Police officers and civilians were killed and injured. Democrat politicians, from governors to the Washington elite, mostly ignored the violence. Some defended and even encouraged it. Congressman Jerry Nadler told a reporter the violence was a myth.

The violence caused by left-wing demonstrators went on, often unchecked, for months. Then there was an election and the Democrats won. Suddenly, with a few exceptions, the violence stopped... until January 6th.

On January 6th, some Trump supporters, some far right-wing people and some far left-wing people (all verified) descended on the U.S. Capitol Building, breaking windows, vandalizing the building, entering private offices and stealing artifacts. The violence lasted for several hours. One rioter was fatally shot. One police officer was hit in the head and later died from a blood clot in his brain. Three others died of medical complications.  Then it was over - the same day.

The violence should all be condemned, regardless of who perpetrated it and regardless of where it was. But the outcry over the Capitol Building was far greater than it was for the violence and destruction in our major cities all summer. Many say it's because the January attack was on our center of government. But rioters tried several times over the summer to burn down federal and state government buildings. I suggest a different reason for the increased outcry over the Capitol attack.

For the first time since the 2020 violence began our elected officials in Washington were scared. Suddenly the violence became personal to them. It was no longer some city a thousand miles away. It was in their place of business and their offices. And most of them were like scared children. Their fear is understandable but in many ways they needed a wake up call. They're now paying attention.

I understand the notion that the attack on the Capitol was an attack on all Americans. But I see it more as Americans venting their anger because their voices weren't being heard. What they did was wrong, period. But in reality it was no worse, and in fact not as bad as what happened in Minneapolis alone.

Some want to blame the President's speech that morning. Except investigation has revealed that the violence had been pre-planned, days before the 6th. And the President did not tell people to assault the Capitol. He told them to go "peacefully and patriotically" to the Capitol to make their voices heard. By the time he uttered those words the attack was already beginning.

Our elected officials mostly live in their own self-serving worlds. On January 6th they learned there are other people in their worlds and many are not happy with them. It wasn't the right way to go about it. But the message was clear - "Don't marginalize us. We won't allow that anymore." And I think at least some of them got the message.

Silencing Has Begun

Twitter and Facebook recently shut down President Trump's accounts. Apparently they believe they should control what the President of the United States is allowed to express publicly. Main stream media outlets recently have refused to air the President's rallies. And last night Google and Apple removed Parler apps from their app stores, telling Parler they need to better control content on their web pages or their apps will no longer be available.

Don't get me wrong - Facebook and Twitter, as private companies, have the legal right to censor content. Membership on their pages is voluntary and they can restrict what one says. However - big tech threatening to silence another company if that company doesn't conform to their standards should scare people. And main stream media outlets that refuse to air the things the elected President does are no longer news outlets. They're left-wing propaganda machines. But that comes as no surprise to most of us.

President Trump has attempted to remove or modify Section 230 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, that prevents big tech companies like Facebook and Twitter from being sued for censorship. Our brilliant elected officials overrode him. The result is that the President himself has been silenced on those social networks, as well as several of his associates.

I never thought I would see such constraints on the First Amendment in my lifetime. But then - I never thought I would see socialism become popular in these United States either.

Historically, the average length of a democracy has been about 200 years. We are a Constitutional Republic, which may be the reason the United States has been around for nearly 245 years. But things are changing. I don't see the United States falling as a nation but I do foresee the constitutional government changing to a socialist government. Funny thing is - some people believe socialism will be better and that everyone will be equal. But those with money and power will maintain their money and power and those without money and power will maintain that status. Under socialism the upper middle class will erode away to lower middle class and only the elite will have status. That's how it works.

Democrats will control all three branches of government in just over a week. If they do what they're promising, abolish the Electoral College and pack the Supreme Court with liberal justices, they will control all national elections for decades. And the United States in which we grew up will cease to exist. And sadly, some people don't realize it... or simply don't care.

Same Auld Lang Syne

Saw a post by a friend that I didn't realize was a true story. I wanted to share it.

On Christmas Eve in 1975, singer/songwriter Dan Fogelberg ran into an old high school girlfriend; a chance encounter that would lead to one of his most endearing and popular songs, "Same Old Lang Syne." 5 years later, in December of 1980, the world first heard that song as it began its run on the charts that would last for more than 4 months.

Met my old lover in the grocery store. The snow was falling Christmas Eve.

I stole behind her in the frozen foods and I touched her on the sleeve

She didn't recognize the face at first... but then her eyes flew open wide.

She went to hug me and she spilled her purse and we laughed until we cried.

We took her groceries to the checkout stand. The food was totaled up and bagged.

We stood there lost in our embarrassment as the conversation dragged.

We went to have ourselves a drink or two, but couldn't find an open bar.

We bought a six-pack at the liquor store and we drank it in her car.

We drank a toast to innocence, we drank a toast to now.

We tried to reach beyond the emptiness but neither one knew how.

She said she'd married her an architect who kept her warm and safe and dry.

She would have liked to say she loved the man but she didn't like to lie.

I said the years had been a friend to her and that her eyes were still as blue.

But in those eyes I wasn't sure if I saw doubt or gratitude.

She said she saw me in the record stores and that I must be doing well.

I said the audience was heavenly but the traveling was hell.

We drank a toast to innocence, we drank a toast to now.

And tried to reach beyond the emptiness but neither one knew how.

We drank a toast to innocence, we drank a toast to time.

We're living in our eloquence. Another 'auld lang syne.'

The beer was empty and our tongues were tired and running out of things to say.

She gave a kiss to me as I got out and I watched her drive away.

Just for a moment I was back at school... and felt that old familiar pain.

And as I turned to make my way back home - the snow turned into rain.

Dan Fogelberg, in my humble opinion, was one of the single, best lyricists of my lifetime. This song, "Leader of the Band," and my favorite - "Nexus." He often told intricate, detailed and intimate stories then set them to his own amazing music. He was one of my favorite artists. Harry Chapin had a similar gift but Harry died before he really got a chance to show off his writing talents.

So here's to you, Dan. Thanks for the songs that I know so well and still sing when they come on the radio. And thanks to Doreen for sharing the story.

Gun Ownership Under a Biden Presidency

 

Joe Biden supporters like to say "He doesn't want to take your guns." Whether innocently or intentionally, those supporters are not paying attention.

In October Biden said he wants to do away with the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), which could bankrupt the entire firearms industry.

The PLCAA, signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2005, prevents gun manufacturers from being sued by victims or victims' families if one of their products that is legally purchased and owned is somehow misused by someone, as in the commission of a crime or a child being accidentally shot

Biden has stated one of his priorities is to repeal this law, opening up avenues for people to sue gun manufacturers if someone is shot and/or killed by someone who uses the gun legally or illegally. He says no other manufacturer enjoys such protections. But when is the last time you heard about a car manufacturer being sued by someone because one of their vehicles was used during the commission of a crime?

These lawsuits would initially cause gun prices to skyrocket and eventually could bankrupt the manufacturers, which is Biden's intention.

Biden's Vice Presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, and his selected Chief of Staff, Jennifer Dillon, have both stated the campaign's intention to initiate a mandatory buyback of "assault weapons," forcing Americans to sell such weapons to the government or register them with ATF. Biden has also stated his intention to tax owners who choose to keep the weapons $200 per weapon and $200 each per "high capacity magazine."

Biden's plans call for a complete ban on manufacture and sale of new assault weapons and high capacity magazines (the definitions of which will ultimately be decided by left-wing politicians) thus preventing many Americans from purchasing their weapon(s) of choice.

Depending on how it is defined, the ban on high capacity magazines could also effect the sale and ownership of some handguns. Many have magazines that hold more than seven or ten rounds and as such could be banned from manufacture and sale. Current owners of said handguns could also be forced to sell them to the government or be taxed exorbitantly in order to keep them.

Yes, he wants to take your guns. He and his cohorts are fairly blatant and open about it. And his followers who deny it are wearing blinders.