Venti or Grande?

So I sit here at a Starbucks in Plymouth, Mi between sales appointments. Mine is a Grande Decaf Americano, by the way, no room for cream. As I sit here sipping, I am also enjoying the parade of folks visiting the coffee shop on a 90-degree plus day with amazing humidity (the people do not have amazing humidity, the weather is humid).

Now, many of us are drinking hot beverages. There are the majority, though, with various varieties of iced tea, iced coffee, and of course the frozen concoction which has surpassed cocaine and even scotch, the famed Frappucino, (make mine a caramel mocha frappucino(sp?). Wow! These people who turn up their nose at a McDonald's milk shake or 7-11 Slurpee are lined up waiting for their frozen specialties like it's free government cheese or something. And they're laying out about $4.00 a pop! Ahhh, America.

Then I thought of last night's US Open Tennis ceremonies. Many tennis legends were marched out, fireworks were sent up into the night sky, and tennis luminaries from around the globe marveled at the site. It's tennis, folks. There's a continuing (worsening?) recession, two wars, a continuing housing meltdown, and we're in line for $4.00 coffees, tennis tickets costing hundreds, perhaps thousands, while we blog, Facebook, Twitter and the like.

We have the Tea Party, we have "psuedo tea-parties" here in Michigan set up by Democrats trying to confuse the voters, we have November elections coming up which will either bring the American Government either more toward the center or keep it careening down the path labeled either "enlightened" or "socialism" depending on your views. Although I must say, I heard a story about a free health clinic set up in New Orleans at the Convention Center. The organizer said the large turnout shows the need for health care in this area. Well, tell 'ya the truth, if I was there, I'd go for free and circumvent my deductible or office charge if I could.

I'd think there would be many hundreds of people here in the Starbucks if they were giving away frozen caramel whatzits, too. See, free is good. People like free. Except someone's gotta pay for the stuff that is given out for free. Starbucks is paying their employees and paying for all the stuff they would give out. It has a cost and someone's got to bear it. In this case, the business takes the cost. With free health care, free cell phones, free cable service, free food, the working taxpayers foot the bill. This money is not magically created, it comes from all the people working who can afford a $4.00 frozen luxury or a $500.00 tennis ticket and who have been paying for housing bailouts, bank bailouts, wars and the rest.

I fear our nation is leaning toward being taken care of by the government rather than work toward the "American Dream"...There are jobs out there, you just gotta be willing to make less than $80,000.00 a year. There was a time in my life I worked multiple jobs to make ends meet. Maybe more of us just have to consider it. I fear too many people want the $4.00 coffee while they're out of work and want me to pay for it. I'll go for the $1.00 Tim Horton's coffee, I'll even throw in the odd fruit explosion muffin, okay?

I would not want to be out of work. I would not want to face losing my home. I never leveraged my home far beyond what it would ever be worth, I did not buy a half-million dollar home with income more deserving of a mobile home. I did not think I "deserved" a house in the Dominican Republic, a time-share in Boca and a boat the size of the USS Enterprise in addition to my family home.

We as a nation must begin to support our businesses, yes even Starbucks. (How come 80% of every Honda, Subaru, Toyota, etc. have Obama stickers on them? Really. The party of the union worker buys imported, sometimes non-union, stuff. Who's shopping at Wal-Mart (China Mart)? Let's encourage business people to make stuff here, and support them with "right to work" legislation versus the very socialist "closed shops". Let's not think we're working for the "union", but appreciate the corporation that is writing the checks...

Last thing. I'm listening to the radio. Some guy is calling in and saying how Chrysler is forcing the union to take only $14.00 per hour instead of $30.00 for new hires or they would send the jobs to Mexico. He also stated how the UNION provided for his family, his dad and he worked for the UNION (at Chrysler) all their adult lives and how the UNION provided the money that allowed the family to buy a restaurant and employ people and make a better life for themselves. The radio show host had to remind the man that Chrysler provided the jobs and the money. If there was no Chrysler, there would be no union jobs. We also found out that their restaurant employees were non-union and the highest paid employee made less than $14.00 per hour, and had to pay for a large percentage of their healthcare. HMMMMMM....

Sorry for the rant, just went off in a few directions. A good rant can be fun...just a bit disjointed however.

I would encourage everyone to look at God as the Great Provider. His son Jesus gave everything for you and me. He tells us not to worry about what we will eat or wear, 'cause God even provides food for the animals of the earth and the glorious splendor of flowers. If he provides for them, will He not provide for us? God might not fulfill all your wants, but He loves you and wants to fulfill your NEEDS. Have faith, Love God, Love others, Pray to the One who is waiting for your words, in Jesus' Name, Amen. (And have the occasional frozen caramel whatzit).

No Nudes is Good Nudes?

If a blog is posted and nobody reads it, does it count? I suppose if posted via wireless the message travels out of Earth's atmosphere into space. There, I suppose it travels throughout the universe, reaching farther and farther into space, where finally it is collected by some giant radio telescope. There, I suppose even further, some race of people excitedly announce that they have received messages from far beyond their own universe. Then, a green-skinned, hairless being in a lab coat says, "Zalmanju waakuu mahpasi fuurtuu, lurtuu, grnsnazzle." This roughly translates to, "Nah, just another blog. No porn for once, though."

How much broadcast porn is being viewed by other-wordly beings? If they look like us, do they think it's art and not porn? You know, I visit the Detroit Institute of Art from time to time,www.dia.org, makes me feel "metropolitan", plus I like the pictures. (You must refrain, of course, while at the from even mouthing the word "picture" and voice only words such as "works", "masterpiece", "illuminating", "transformational" and stuff like that, less "they" think you're a boob).

So on any trip to the DIA, you end up in the sculptures area, where you stand in the middle of a bunch of naked people. This of course is art, unless you try to display it anywhere else but an art institute. Anywhere else and people would say, "What's with all the naked people?"

I look at these "works" (some even transformational works) and I think, "If the people then could see us now. These works were all probably rich guy's porn stash and a thousand years or so later, they're works of art". Seriously, there was no Playboy Rome or Penthouse Athens in those days, and we know perverts like Nero and Caligula were around. Roman orgies are the stuff of legend.

So, as I walk through the displays of naked women, naked men, naked cherubs, multiple naked people, etc., I'm thinking, "porn". You can tell me all you want about the artist's desire to capture the wonderful form of the human body, and I'll answer with, "What, they couldn't put a loincloth on this guy? You really gotta show it all? You can't modestly drape a sash or design clever use of hands, props, etc. to cover a bit of this lady?"

After many years of traveling through the DIA and other art collections, it finally hit me this past year. Most all this stuff was created for Hugh Hefner's early relatives. Let's face it; with no internet, cable or pay-per-view, where else would a pervert get a naked fix? I know many of you just think I'm Larry the Cable Guy's relative or something based on this, but next time you go, think of it. Most of these statues were not displayed publicly at the time of their creation. They were commissioned by someone for a private residence or estate, or happened to be the buxom girlfriend of the artist. "C'mon, baby, it's art, it's not like it's dirty or anything and only you and I will see it". Then the guy sells it to some Roman perv who shows it off like it's Paris Hilton's sex tape or something. Really!

Anyway, I hope I haven't ruined art for you. And I hope that any of my Christian friends don't excommunicate me because of this. But you gotta admit, the more you think about this stuff, the harder it is to think "art" and the easier it is to think "porn". Of course this has nothing to do with my collection of Roman Nudes dating back to the Sophia Loren era.

Here's to good-natured laughs, an attempt at some fun, and may even a new truth to consider. God did, after all, create humor, I suppose. And I will find out one day if He considered this in good humor, or good taste. See you next time.

EJ

Primary Concerns

So it's two days before Michigan Primary elections, and I'm sure other states around the country. We will be electing a new governor this year to replace Jennifer Granholm and dozens of people in our House of Representatives and Senate.

Republicans are drooling with the thought of dominating the State houses and the Governor's Mansion. I guess they're looking at about 14% unemployment, a state budget that is a mess, and Obama backlash as a path to victory (perhaps a freeway to victory). Methinks that they should not count any chickens yet.

Democrats are touting job creations (tough to sell here in the Wolverine State), and promising more new jobs. (Probably a chicken in every pot that the GOP can count, etc.). They are still blaming the GOP Governor from 8 years ago for this mess. Kinda like the way the White House is still blaming W for everything bad including Heidi and Spencer's upcoming divorce.

So the campaign calls have been coming to the house, and the mail has been non-stop. Sorta neat that our land-line phone is out of order due to squirrels or fallen limbs or something. Been nice and quiet for a couple of days.

Anyway, twice this past week my wife and I each received campaign literature from Planned Parenthood. The BIG headline was "Bernero the Only Candidate to Support a Woman's Right to Choose". The other Big headline was, "Dillon Says NO to All Abortions Even in Cases of Rape or Incest."

Two things about this. One, no matter your take on abortion, it is hardly the biggest challenge facing this state right now, even our nation. Second, there were no Republican candidates mentioned at all, just the Democratic candidates, Virg Bernero (PRO ABORTION) and Andy Dillon (ANTI-ABORTION). Never-you-mind the cloud of financial shenanigans surrounding Mr. Bernero, Mayor of Lansing, Mi and proud to be called a "career politician". Never-you-mind State Senator Dillon's ability to obtain bi-partisan support in a fractured state government, even willing to (shudder) compromise on a few points to pass a budget and try to have everyone act civil.

Don't even think about the high unemployment rate, the exodus of our young college graduates and young professionals to other "grass is greener" states. Don't worry that we're bleeding jobs, our homes are worth about half of what they were worth in 2007, don't let the near-collapse of our largest employer, the auto companies and supporting businesses, worry you. It's all about who will let you, ladies and gents, kill your babies.

It galls me that Planned Parenthood would tout one candidate over another based on one issue. There's not a look at a person's character, track record or apparent skills. It's not necessarily about fixing the problems of a woebegone state; no, it's about the ease of ending pregnancies.

What a sad state we're in when the tipping point of a person's vote for or against a person is because one candidate supports abortion and the other does not. Imagine campaign posters in Nazi Germany; "Hitler is the only Pro-killing Jews and Gypsies candidate, don't vote for the other guy who wants to let them live". It think that puts it in perspective for me. If you make it a one-plank campaign, I'll vote for the person who supports life. Sorry, Hitler, sorry Virg, sorry Planned Parenthood.

You know, Republicans and Christians have been reviled by the "Left" for making abortion the single most important issue in a campaign. Well, I believe Planned Parenthood has just shown that to be false. Planned Parenthood is such a misnomer. They don't want to help anyone PLAN anything. They are an abortion-for-profit company with as much desire to help couples plan as Keith Olberman desires to date Ann Coulter...

So, I'm thinking, well, I'm mad as heck and I'm not going to take it anymore. So I had to share this with you all...or anyone who is out there, I suppose. The law of the State of Michigan allows most abortions. The Governor by himself cannot change the law. Candidate Dillon said he will abide by the law of the State. Apparently, not good enough for Planned Parenthood even if he is the better Democratic candidate.

On the Republican side, they're mostly talking about jobs, schools, jobs, cutting taxes, and jobs. Sounds like a good platform for a party seeking election in this state. Now, Right to Life has backed our current Attorney General Mike Cox, who is one of about five Republican gubernatorial candidates, all of whom claim to be pro-life. I wonder if anyone at Planned Parenthood ever considered that a pro-life Republican would actually be a better governor that a pro-abortion Democrat, but I think not. And I think Right-to-Life would support a pro-life candidate from the Democratic Party if the person on the other side of the ballot was pro-abortion or lukewarm on the subject.

I am so sick of the "Pro-Choice" lobby. Who has the choice, here? Certainly not the father of the child, certainly not the child (over half of whom are female babies by the way, ladies). "Choice" is certainly an innocuous term for killing an unborn child. But when pro-life people talk about the killing of children, and the horrible thought of harvesting embryos for stem-cell research, the other side cries, "FOUL"! When pictures of aborted babies are shown, when people use the terms killing and murder, the other side shakes their fingers and says "shame on you for using such graphic pictures and terms". Well, if something you support sickens or shames you when shown in the light of day perhaps it's time for a second thought.

Shame on you, National Organization for Women, for backing Virg Bernero based simply on abortion. Shame on you, Planned Parenthood for not looking past one issue to support perhaps the better person. As a Christian, I do believe God does turn his back to people who go away from Him. He does not condone killing innocent people. He spoke out and acted out against peoples who "put their children through the fire" literally sacrificing their children in furnaces to a false god. Jesus told everyone that the Kingdom of Heaven is for those such as the children who surrounded Him.

When you look at hard-hit states, look at the moral base; see if some changes in moral attitudes might help. Our nation has left God behind for the most part. It seems we can't get God out of our way fast enough to avoid guilt, to allow any activity in which we might find pleasure, to allow the old adage "if it feels good, do it."

I can't believe that women (or anyone) can call abortion "choice". The real choice starts with a woman deciding that sex is not a recreational activity like working out in the gym, jogging, etc. I can't believe people have as little control as a couple of dogs in the street as far as sexual activity is concerned.

Our youth are experiencing sexual activity at younger and younger ages, sexually transmitted diseases are at ridiculous levels, and our response is to allow an HPV vaccine for our teen-aged girls "because they're just going to have all kinds of sex anyway". Really? You WANT your daughters to have dozens of sexual partners by the time they reach college? Is that your aspiration for your children? Because if you let your children think a promiscuous lifestyle is what you expect, they will strive to achieve it. If you take time to PARENT your children, you can make a difference. Remember the old "Baretta" television show with Robert Blake? "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime." Well, if you are not ready to care for the life you help create, you probably shouldn't be engaged in sexual activity. Check out some of the information at www.nichd.nih.gov/womenshealth/research/disorders/stdhiv.cfm

God created man and woman to be perfect for each other, including sexually. How do I know? Because HE said so; and so many times, it's as simple as checking out the plumbing. Sex was created to be a pleasant way to....HAVE KIDS! It's supposed to be fun so you will be encouraged to have more children. But He created this wonderful act so a man and a woman in a loving, committed, permanent relationship could enjoy each other completely and intimately. We, in this age, have really distorted God's great gift.

Finally, to women who have had an abortion due to one mistake in their lives. Please, God doesn't condemn you, I don't condemn you. I believe most women feel some remorse or emptiness for this child whose life was ended. Men, maybe you persuaded someone to have an abortion they really didn't want, or maybe a women you were with did it because YOU said it was the "right thing to do". Don't live in guilt. The Lord is waiting for you with open arms. Talk to Him like you'd talk to a friend. Just start "Dear God", and go for it. You will find Him waiting for your words, and you just might feel His presence in your heart, lifting a weight from you, allowing you to breath easier, to once again feel whole and "right". Here's to us all who have had the guilt of abortion; to feel "right", or righteous, through the Love of God and His son Jesus Christ. Amen.