He missed the point.

There is a new book out that's found its way to the best-seller list. Though heretical in nature, it proves the Scripture that says that in the last days, people "will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. . ."

The book is Love Wins by Rob Bell. He says there is not a literal hell, only the troubles that we experience here on earth. If that's the case, why do the just suffer as much as the unjust? Doesn't that mean that we all go to hell?

At the heart of Bell's position is that God's love can triumph over every obstacle, including sins that Christians have long believed would consign them to anguish in the afterlife. But that notion of hell is appalling to many people, Bell argues. Appalling it may be, but the truth is the truth, and just because we find it appalling does not make it any less the truth. I find the stink of skunk appalling, too, but the stink is a fact.

Anyway, Bell has completely missed the point. I can agree with him . . . God's love does triumph over every obstacle, including the sin that would consign us to anguish in the afterlife. His triumph is called Jesus Christ. Accept Him and His sacrificial death and resurrection, and the sin debt is paid. But refuse to accept Him, and the consequences are, indeed, appalling.

"Hell book stirs hot debate." The Dallas Morning News; March 28, 2011; p. 4A.

It's more than a slippery slope . . . it's a tsunami.

I used to say that our rights as U.S. citizens are slowly being eroded by government regulation and political correctness. I no longer believe that. Our rights are being swept away in a tsunami of "We know what's good for you."

A bunch of parents (the article doesn't specify whose parents) have taken up positions outside a small grocery store in Philadelphia. As children from a nearby elementary school stop on their way to school or home, these self-appointed "protectors" check their sacks to see what kind of snacks they bought. McKinley Harris, who was pictured outside the store in his Middle Eastern headdress, peered into one little girl's small bag. "Candy!" he said. "That's not food."

In the first place, I don't want some man who looks like a terrorist approaching my child without my permission. In the second place, I don't care whether it's food or not, if it's not his little girl or he's not been entrusted by the child's parents to care for her, then it's none of his business when she's buying an item it's lawful for her to buy. The next thing you know, the food police will be accosting adults outside the store. We better wake up and shout, "Enough already! Get your nose out of my grocery bag!"

The irony is that these are the same folks who don't believe there should be any restrictions on what people can buy with food stamps. We are truly living in an idiocracy.

P.S. I wrote to Michelle Obama with the suggestion that if she were truly concerned about childhood obesity, she should propose that food stamp dollars be limited to wholesome, heart-healthy foods. I didn't get a reply, nor have I read anywhere that she's accepted that suggestion. Hypocrite!

"Soldiers in anti-obesity war." The Dallas Morning News; March 28, 2011; p. 6A.

Freedom of the Press?

A reporter for a Florida newspaper was held in a guarded storage closet for an hour and a half at a fundraiser where Joe Biden was the speaker. He was not allowed to speak to those in attendance. VP Biteme's press secretary has apologized. So much for the First Amendment. By the way, do you think the press would have let Dick Cheney get away with that? http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/03/27/reporter-confined-storage-closet-fundraiser-biden-newspaper-claims/?test=latestnews

What's a rainy day fund for?

Teachers and school administrators are urging the Texas Legislature to dip into the rainy day fund rather than make cuts to the budget. These are educated people. Surely they know what a rainy day fund is.

A rainy day fund is for those things that arise unexpectedly. To use my household as an example, if my refrigerator goes out, I might dip into my rainy day fund. If my hot water heater bursts, I might dip into my rainy day fund. It's for those little emergencies that happen maybe once in 10 years.

A rainy day fund is not there just because I want to spend more money than I am taking in. For example, I would rather have a Cadillac Escalade than a Ford Focus. I can't afford the Cadillac payments, so I'll dip into my rainy day fund. Logic tells me the rainy day fund will soon run out, probably long before I've finished paying for the Escalade. Then what will I use when the refrigerator goes out? I may be reduced to an Igloo cooler, and I probably won't even have a car to go to the store for the crushed ice!

How many innocent lives will be saved?

The Dallas Morning News applauds the State of Illinois for outlawing capital punishment and urges the Texas legislature to do likewise. It says, "Illinois' action means a mistake in the administration of justice will not claim an innocent life."

Let's think about that statement. Suppose a jury finds a man guilty of a heinous murder. Suppose he is sentenced to life in prison since there is no death penalty. We all know that life in prison doesn't really mean life in prison. Suppose he gets out. And suppose he takes up his old habits. Any number of innocent people could lose their lives because of this "mistake in the administration of justice."

Mistakes in the administration of justice are much more likely to fall out to the detriment of the victim than to the detriment of the defendant. If we must err, let's err on the side of the innocent victim. Anyway, why in heaven's name would Texas want to emulate the political mindset of Illinois -- the state of Blago, Barack, Rahm Emmanuel, Rostenkowski, Rezko, and the Daley's?

"Hits and Misses." The Dallas Morning News; March 12, 2011; p. 22A.

How many chances?

Sabra Leavy, a 76-year-old woman, doesn't get any more chances. She went shopping at Wal-Mart. When she returned to her car, Rogelio Belmonte called her over to his pickup. When she approached, he attempted to grab her purse. She had it over her shoulder and couldn't get it off her arm. He sped off, dragging her underneath the pickup and running over her. She died a couple of days later.

Belmonte has been arrested numerous times for assaults, burglaries, thefts, possession of controlled substances, fleeing from police, traffic-related offenses, and parole violation. Why he was not incarcerated is anybody's guess. Wonder how many more chances he'll get?

"Record long for suspect." The Dallas Morning News; March 14, 2011; p. 1B.

Johnny still can't read . . . but he's no longer a failure!

Obama says that George Bush's "No Child Left Behind" needs work. I'm not sure the plan, itself, does need work, but the way it has been implemented certainly does.

At any rate, about 80% of the nation's schools don't measure up. Their reading and math proficiency scores are in the tank. Obama says, "We know that four out of five schools in this country aren't failing. So what we're doing to measure success and failure is out of line."

What makes Obama think the figures are wrong? I see evidence every day that our students can't read, write, or even count back change. So Obama is addressing this issue like he does every other -- we'll just make the numbers say what we want them to say.

If a school currently has to have a 90% passing rate to be acceptable, we'll just lower that to 60%. All the little Johnnys still won't be able to read, but our numbers sure will look good!

"Obama: Rewrite No Child Left Behind." The Dallas Morning News; March 15, 2011; p. 7A.

Where are the 98,000?

Much has been made of the demonstrations by teachers and teachers unions in the past few weeks. The numbers of protestors have been tossed about so that the average reader would think everyone is in favor of whatever the teachers want.

However, when one thinks of the numbers who aren't demonstrating, a different light is shed on what the public really thinks. For example: a photo of "more than a thousand teachers" demonstrating at the Texas Capitol appeared in a recent edition of the newspaper. The caption said they were there to protest the Governor's "cuts-only" approach to the Texas budget shortfall. They said the cuts could cost 100,000 teachers their jobs.

If 100,000 teachers are in danger of losing their jobs, why did fewer than 2% of them show up to voice their displeasure? Makes me wonder.

"Cloudy with a strong chance of job cuts." The Dallas Morning News; March 15, 2011; p. 3A.

Just when you think you've heard it all . . .

I thought our society could not become more commercialized than it already is. But I was wrong. Turrentine Jackson Morrow Funeral Home in McKinney, Texas, has a new enterprise on the premises. They've opened up their own Starbucks.

When we've had to go to our local funeral home to make arrangements for a family member, the funeral director and his staff have always graciously offered us a cup of coffee while we make the decisions that have to be made. I'm not talking about that. This is a full-fledged coffee shop where their clients may purchase a latte or a caffe mocha or Chai tea, or whatever their preference.

The funeral home's excuse for this crass addition? "People find comfort in their coffee." And I'm sure Turrentine Jackson Morrow finds comfort in making a few extra bucks. They're hoping the coffee and the free wi-fi will encourage locals and those just passing through to stop in. But somehow I just can't get my thoughts around, "Let's run down to the funeral home for a cup of coffee."

"Funeral home adds little sip of heaven: Starbucks coffee." The Dallas Morning News; March 17, 2011; p. 1B.

How many chances?

Steven Lawayne Nelson was arrested in 2005 for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle (that means he stole it). In 2007 he was convicted of theft of property -- twice. In 2009 he was sentenced to two years in jail for burglary of a habitation. In 2010 (what happened to 2 years in jail?) he was sentenced to eight years probation for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (he tried to kill his girlfriend). What judge in his right mind would grant probation to a man who had at least four prior crimes on his record? And that's just the ones they caught him at!

Anyway, earlier this month, Nelson killed Pastor Clint Dobson and severely beat his ministry assistant at North Pointe Baptist Church in Arlington. While watching newscasts of the crime, he laughed. How many more chances should he get?

"Suspect arrested in church slaying." The Dallas Morning News; March 6, 2011; p. 1A.

I hear violin music!

Natalie J. Lopez wrote a letter to the editor last week. She was jealous when she got the news that a friend of hers planned to propose to his girlfriend soon. She says those two lovebirds can go down to the courthouse and apply for a marriage license, but she can't.

She's asked her girlfriend to marry her, but gay marriage doesn't exist in the mean old State of Texas. She wishes her friend all the best. "Maybe one day gay couples can be so lucky," she whines.

Well, Natalie, marriage is a union between two people of opposite gender. You have the right to marry just like your friend does. Nothing prevents you and almost any man you choose from going down to the courthouse to apply for a marriage license. You do not, however, have the right to redefine marriage. So you can put your violin away now, because we're not buying it.

"Marriage is more than luck." The Dallas Morning News; March 6, 2011; p. 2P.

What is the purpose of the military?

A recent Associated Press article says that The U.S. military is "too white and too male at the top and needs to change recruiting and promotion policies and lift its ban on women in combat." This comes from a report commissioned by Congress in 2009. It calls for greater diversity in the military's leadership so it will "better reflect the racial, ethnic and gender mix in the armed forces and in American society."

Pardon me, but exactly what is the purpose of our military? Is it to protect our country? Or is it merely a social engineering tool? As I've said before, we are in deep doo-doo, folks!

"Military too top-heavy with whites and men, report says." The Dallas Morning News; March 8, 2011; p. 4A.

Could it be that (gasp!) abstinence education works???

A new study from the Centers for Disease Control finds that fewer 15- to 24-year-olds are having sex. The number who abstain rose from 22% to 28% over the last decade. Experts are baffled.

Could it be that abstinence education works? Jocelyn Elders, Nancy Pelosi, Planned Parenthood, and all their ilk must be having a conniption!

"Fewer 15- to 24-year-olds having sex, study finds." The Dallas Morning News; March 4, 2011; p. 9A.

A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Jeffrey Kreisberg of Coppell says that talk of deficits is a ruse. It just keeps us from talking about the real problem in America. What's does Jeffrey think the real problem is? "The disparity of financial assets."

See, it's not fair if you've risked your money to start a business and through hard work have become financially well-off while the guy who goofed off and did as little as possible has nothing. He says if Governor Christie of Maryland would stop protecting those who are industrious from those who are lazy-good-for-nothings, we could solve our deficit problem - which he's previously said was a ruse.

Make up your mind, Jeffrey!

"Asset gap ignored." The Dallas Morning News; March 5, 2011; p. 22A.

Are they serious?

One of the federal budget cuts proposed by Darrell Issa of California is to stop funding research on the effect of yoga on menopausal women. Well, duh! Why do we need to study it? If you're menopausal, try it. If it doesn't work, don't do it.

Other cuts recommended by Issa include defunding research for studies of how well men use condoms, whether video games improve old folks’ mental health, the use of marijuana in conjunction with malt liquor and with opiates, and the impacts of a possible soda tax.

My advice to Congressman Issa? Don't stop there! I feel quite certain these absurdities are only the tip of the iceberg.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/49630.html

Is it really that big of a deal?

North Texas school districts have been going bonkers over when to make up the bad weather days we've had this winter. I have to wonder if it's all that important to make them up at all. I keep seeing items in the newspapers about an assembly for this or an assembly for that or a jump-a-thon or some other such nonsense.

For example, Beth Anderson Elementary School in the Arlington ISD had a "celebration" on a recent Wednesday. It included an appearance by former Dallas Cowboys player Raghib Ismail, group exercises, and a healthy taco-making demonstration. Why is it necessary for kids to make up days filled with such ridiculous "fill-up-the-time" junk? What's the point of going to school to be entertained? The kids can do that at home on their own. Maybe if we took out all that stuff, the kids wouldn't have to attend school any more than 160 days a year, and we'd have plenty of built-in time to make up snow days.

Incidentally, at Beth Anderson they had a contest to see who could take the most steps over the summer. Anaiz Rangel won. She took 6.8 million steps. According to the newspaper, for an average stride, that equals 3,400 miles. If we figure she had 90 days over the summer, that equals almost 38 miles a day. Even if we half that for a child-size stride, that's 19 miles a day. Let's go further and quarter it. We're still looking at better than 9 miles a day. Do you believe that? I have a little difficulty swallowing it.

"These kids were made for walkin'." The Dallas Morning News; February 17, 2011; p. 6B.

Is that the best you can do?

The Democrats in Texas don't like the GOP legislation that will require voters to produce photo ID. Their first argument was that it would be too hard for the poor and the handicapped to get photo ID. After provisions were made for those groups, the Democrats had to come up with another objection, because they can't say, "You know, we're the beneficiaries of voter fraud, so we don't want honest elections."

So now they've come up with "it will cost too much." I'm left scratching my head. How will requiring photo ID of voters cost the state? "We'll have to advertise it," they say. Why can't the newspapers just include the info in the polling place lists they always publish? Or in the legal notices of elections?

My grandmother used to tease us about our childish attempts at artwork and other things. "Is that the best you can do?" she would laugh. I'm sure if she were here she'd be asking those Democrats the same thing.

"Democrats question cost of voter ID bill." The Dallas Morning News; March 2, 2011; p. 3A.

Food for Thought

Gerry Garibaldi is a high school English teacher in an urban Connecticut district. He had a very thought-provoking article in the newspaper recently.

He says that schools, especially ones in low-income districts, are swimming in money duet to Title I and other federal programs. He says his school pays five teachers to tutor kids after school and on Saturdays. The kids never show up. He says they have all the books and gizmos they need -- computerized whiteboards, Elmo projectors, state-of-the-art-facilities, and fully automated libraries.

He says that money is NOT the reason so many students are failures. The reason so many students are failures is . . . are you ready for this? . . . immorality. All the "judge not" folks are out there right now turning red in their faces, but what he speaks is truth. Indeed, Garibaldi says, "Personal moral accountability is the electrified rail that no politician wants to touch."

Garibaldi uses one of his students, Nicole, as an example. Nicole often slept in class, and Garibaldi soon learned it was because she stayed out partying all night. After about a dozen calls, her mother,who was unmarried, finally called him back. She said she worked nights, but she'd talk to her. Nicole improved for awhile, but she soon began falling asleep again. One day, as he tried to wake her, she said, "Leave me alone, mister. I feel sick." As an aside, I wouldn't put up with such a disrespectful form of address. Nicole's two giggly friends informed Garibaldi that Nicole was pregnant. As if a teenagers pregnancy were funny!

Garibaldi makes a point that I have often harped on. "Within my lifetime," he says, "single parenthood has been transformed from shame to saintliness. In our society, perversely, we celebrate the unwed mother as a heroic figure. . ." Isn't that sad?

But Nicole is not worried about the ramifications of her situation. Connecticut provides out-of-wedlock mothers a vast array of welfare benefits: medical coverage when they become pregnant, medcial insurance for the family, child care, Section 8 housing, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, cash assistance, and transportation. She will also get a $35 an hour in-home tutor in her final trimester.

Garibaldi asked Nicole if she thought getting pregnant as an unwed teenager was a good thing. "Depends," she answered. "On what?" he asked. Nicole explained that her grandmother and mother both got pregnant when they were teens, and they were good mothers. Uhhhh - define "good." They both had daughters who got pregnant when they were teenagers.

Nicole didn't like Garibaldi "picking on her" because she was pregnant. "Nobody gets married any more, mister." Again I say, isn't that sad?

Back to Nicole's education. Nicole is in the 11th grade. She reads on a 5th grade level as do most of Garibaldi's students. Do you think that if Nicole's mother had made sure she went for the tutoring that was available to her rather than allowing her to party all night it would have made a difference? Certainly couldn't have hurt anything!

Garibaldi says there is another aspect to this teenage pregnancy thing that is disturbing. One of his students sent her little son home with his father for the weekend. I'm sure it wasn't so she could study -- Garibaldi says she was barely pulling D's in his class. My guess is more partying. These kids don't learn with one child. They tend to have several. At any rate, when she picked the toddler up, he was bruised and cut. Garibaldi insisted they report the father, which they did. However, she backed down and refused to file a complaint.

I think Garibaldi's article makes a lot of sense. If we have the best facilities, the best teachers, the latest gizmos, it does nothing if we don't insist on a little morality along with it.

"Expecting to Fail." The Dallas Morning News; March 6, 2011; p. 1P.

Are we still a constitutional republic?

Obama officials say one of the provisions in Obamacare, insurance coverage for long-term care, is too costly and will have to undergo some changes. Since Congress passed it, you would think it would have to go back through Congress for changes. Not so according to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. She says the law "gives her authority to make changes to the program without congressional action."

That, coupled with Obama's judicial decision last week that the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional so his Justice Department just won't enforce it anymore, gives rise to the question: When did we become a dictatorship?

"Long-term care plan is in flux." The Dallas Morning News; February 22, 2011; p. 4A.

Here's a solution for ya'!

Texas State Representative Lois Kolkhorst has introduced legislation that would allow sheriffs to take illegal aliens to the local offices of any U.S. Representative or Senator and deposit them there. Local jurisdictions have found themselves holding these illegals indefinitely and footing the bills for their incarceration while they wait on an inefficient-don't-care federal agency to pick them up.

Kolkhorst said, "I think ICE will come over if one of our local U.S. Representatives or Senators makes a phone call." Which I'm sure they'll do when they have a few illegals sitting around their offices. Does this bill have a chance of passing? I don't know, but Kolkhorst said when she floated the idea, several of her colleagues wanted to co-sponsor it.

Paris News funny for the day: On March 2, Texas Independence Day, the paper ran an editorial about the republic/state's 175th anniversary. The headline read, "Celebrating our great state's sesquicentennial." I guess Texas must be taking lessons from Jack Benny. He celebrated his 39th birthday 41 times.

"Bill would let sheriffs drop off offenders with U.S. lawmakers." The Dallas Morning News; February 22, 2011; p. 3A.

NIMNULS!

Remember Robin Williams's sit-com Mork and Mindy? Mork was an alien from the planet Ork. He brought many of his strange Orkan words to Earth with him. One of those words was "nimnul." It means a blooming idiot.

I hadn't thought of that word in years, but it popped into my mind when I saw Joshua Lott's photograph of the protestors in Wisconsin with tape over their mouths. Doesn't that look like a brilliant bunch? Keep in mind that this group is teaching the children up there. What do you think we can expect to come out of Wisconsin in the next 20 or so years?

Less People

School districts in Texas might have a little more credibility if they employed spokesmen who knew basic grammar. When speaking of the district's $10,000 offer to teachers who volunteer to quit, Dallas ISD spokesman Jon Dahlander said last week, "The goal is to help us lay off less people."

OK, Mr. Dahlander, here's the rule. If you are speaking of individual units, it's fewer. If you are speaking of an aggregate, it's less. There may be fewer grains of sand, but there is less sand on the beach. There may be fewer stars visible, but there is less starlight. There may be fewer people on the payroll, but there is less expense in the payroll line item. I do hope DISD retains the English teachers!

"District may pay teachers to quit." The Dallas Morning News; February 23, 2011; p. 1A.

Hey, Teacher Unions, listen to this!

Patricia Alvarado of Dallas could tell those teacher unions a thing or two. If they took her sound advice, they might not now be in the position of having to beg for respect.

Patricia is a teacher. She said one of her students asked her last week, "Mrs. A., are you worried you might be fired?" Patricia says she is, of course, concerned about her job; however, she goes on to say that worrying about what might happen distracts her from her true responsibility -- to ensure her students' academic success. She suggests that teachers go back to what they've been hired to do, and that is to teach the children. She says, "Our students deserve an environment centered on learning, not worrying; I will provide them with no less."

One of Essie's heroes: Patricia Alvarado for exhibiting the spirit of a true educator! Give that lady a raise!

"Educate today, worry later." The Dallas Morning News; February 27, 2011; p. 6B.

Cause and Effect

James Daniel Taylor of Dallas may need a little lesson in cause and effect. He says to deny gays the right to marry each other is "shameful." He says, "We are creating quite a legacy for our children. Future generations will read about teachers losing their jobs and a country going broke and ask, 'Did someone really think it was that important to keep gays from getting married? How pathetic!'"

Yes, James, it is that important. Do you not see that the reason our country is in a death spiral is precisely because we are being pushed to accept what God has called an abomination? One of my very favorite quotes is from Alexis de Toqueville: "America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, she will cease to be great." And some 160 years after he said it, we are seeing his prophecy sadly fulfilled. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" - Psalm 33:12.

Oh, one more thing. It's Texas Independence Day. Remember the Alamo!

"Gay unions, priorities." The Dallas Morning News; February 26, 2011; p. 22A.

Tax those nasty rich folks!

Willa Kulhavy of Garland thinks the rich don't pay enough taxes. She says the solution to all our economic problems is to "tax instead of subsidize the rich."

Willa might be interested to know that the top 1% of wage earners pay 38.02% of income taxes collected. The top 5% pay 58.72% of income taxes collected. The top 10% pay 69.94% of income taxes collected. The top 25% pay 86.34% of income taxes collected, and the top 50% pay 97.30% of income taxes collected.

That means the bottom 50% pay 2.7% of income taxes collected. So, Willa, who's subsidizing whom?

"Tax the rich." The Dallas Morning News; February 27, 2011; p. 3P.
http://www.ntu.org/tax-basics/who-pays-income-taxes.html