Archive for November 2008
A quarter century
Fans of A Christmas Story, which is one of my own favorite movies, are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the making of that movie.
“It’s a film about being a kid and looking back,” said Brian Jones, who owns the house where the movie was shot and the neighboring museum dedicated to the film.
About 4,000 fans are attending the convention at Cleveland’s Renaissance Hotel, where they’ll meet some of the film’s actors, watch three documentaries made about the film and see the original 1938 fire truck from a famous scene in the movie involving a child’s tongue stuck to a frozen pole.
Wikipedia even has an entry on the house that was used to film the movie. The house has a story of its own: “In December 2004, Brian Jones, a San Diego entrepreneur and fan of the film since childhood, bought 
the house on eBay for $150,000. Jones used revenue from his business, The Red Rider Leg Lamp Company, which manufactures replicas of the “major award” Ralphie’s father won in the film, for the down payment. The previous owners had reconfigured the building into a duplex, installed modern windows, and covered the original wood siding with blue vinyl. Watching the movie frame by frame, Jones drew detailed plans of the interiors — which had been filmed on a Toronto sound stage — and spent $240,000 to gut the structure, reconfigure it to a single-family dwelling, transform it into a near-replica of the movie set, and restore the exterior to its appearance in the film.”
Rebuilt
I’m done rebuilding Right Minded from my lockdown at the expense at Blogger back in early August. I’ve imported all the pictures, newspaper columns, other major writings, and news stories of note, but had to let a lot of stuff go, mainly links to news-of-the-day items that are no longer relevant and not worth importing, or other information that was later integrated into newspaper columns. I had just passed 6,000 posts when Google ate my blog. Right now, I’ve got over 2,500 here, but I believe I’ve got a pretty complete blog set up now for me to fully work with.
If I had it all to do again, I’d start off at WordPress. I began blogging on April 30, 2004, just writing things into a plain .html document. In January, 2005, I bought markarose.com, and began using MovableType on March 1 of that year. Things were going great until about October 15, 2006, when MovableType stopped working. Rather than try to resurrect it, I began using Blogger under gotigers.blogspot.com, but had Blogger ftp the files up to markarose.com. That worked great until March 29, 2007, when I somehow lost the capability of ftp-ing up to markarose.com, and so I just went with Blogger directly, and set up markarose.com to simply redirect over to gotigers.blogspot.com.
But I missed uploading to my own domain, and so on June 30, 2008, I registered markarose.net through Google so I could have everything under markarose.net. Then, on August 3, Blogger disabled my blog, and so I saved all the monthly archive files as .html documents so I wouldn’t lose all my work, set up rightmindedblog.wordpress.com, called up my old hosting company, and had markarose.com point to WordPress.
As Johnny Cash used to sing, I’ve been everywhere, man. In life you don’t get do-overs, so the best you can do is learn from mistakes. If I only knew then what I know now, I would have set up a WordPress account back on April 30, 2004. I would have saved myself a lot of time and frustration, and not lost any work. But I’m happy with things now, happy that I’ve been able to preserve and integrate most of my work here, and I’m very happy with WordPress, as it is far more versatile than Blogger. And the best thing is, you can back up all your work at WordPress, because you have the ability to save the entire blog in a single .xml file, which you can save on your own hard drive, so no more losing work, even in a disaster.
Gagged
Michelle Malkin has had quite an experience with censorship at YouTube and Google, which reminded me of my own curious experience at the hands of Google nearly four months ago.
Someone I thought I’d never meet
Earlier today, I had the privilege of listening to Dr. Tim LaHaye preach at my church in Mt. Juliet. Dr. LaHaye, of course, co-authored the famous Left Behind fiction series, and has written numerous other books on various topics. But his bread-and-butter is Bible prophecy, which was the topic of his message today. I couldn’t let the opportunity pass, and so I went up after the service, shook his hand, and told him how much I appreciate his work.
Historical marker blogging
Highway 22 south of Huntingdon, Tennessee
We are…Memphis!
As I write this, the Memphis Tigers are pummeling the Tulane Green Wave 45-6 in the 4th quarter at the Liberty Bowl in the last game of the regular season. The win will even the Tigers record at 6-6, good enough 
for their fifth bowl appearance in six years. The top six teams from Conference USA can be picked up for bowl games this year, and Memphis will grab the #5 spot as they literally back into a postseason opportunity. This season has, admittedly, been mediocre for the Tigers, as Memphis started 0-3, and had a losing record through the first nine games of the season. But there are a lot of bowl games nowdays (thirty-four, I believe), meaning that some teams who would never have dreamed of a bowl appearance just a few years ago now get the extra game. Given that Memphis is not, nor ever has been, a football college, this is about as good as it gets for us. I’m not quite sure which bowl game we will make, but who cares?
Historical marker blogging
Highway 70 east of downtown Huntindgon, Tennessee
The Cult of You Owe Me
Michelle Malkin dedicated her weekly column yesterday to self-reliant Americans. She begins this way:
In The Year of Bottomless Bailouts, I am most grateful this Thanksgiving for Americans who refuse to abandon thrift, personal responsibility, and self-reliance. When the moochers and entitlement-mongers drive you mad, remember that our nation still serves as home to millions of citizens who do for themselves. Like our Founding Fathers, they are God-fearing people – the ones elitist pundits deride as “oogedy-boogedy” – who will never put their faith in The Cult of You Owe Me.
Well, that was easy
The Tennessee Titans got back into the win column yesterday with a 47-10 thrashing of the hapless Detroit Lions in the 69th Thanksgiving Day game in Detroit. It was the most points ever given up by the Lions on Thanksgiving, and the win came just 4 days after the Titans first loss of the season. Tennessee now has a ten-day break until its next game on December 7. The game was so lopsided that Vince Young even saw some action at the end. It was nice to sit back and watch an easy one for once.
Not my idea of “Christmas spirit”
Historical marker blogging
Highway 70 in Hollow Rock, Tennessee (Carroll County)
The real story of Thanksgiving
(This column originally appeared in the Lebanon Democrat on November 24, 2003. It is the real story of the Pilgrims, and deserves to be retold as often as possible.)
On August 1, 1620, a ship called the “Mayflower” left England with 102 passengers bound for the New World. The manifest included two groups. The Separatists, led by William Bradford, had fled their homeland and the oppressive Church of England under King James I in search of a home where they could live and worship God according to their own conscience. The Strangers sought the New World for other reasons. Together they formed the Pilgrims.
Their intended crossing to Virginia strayed off course, and they instead landed on Cape Cod — outside the territory covered by the King’s Charter. Thus, the Pilgrims were responsible for their own governance. Following the nine-week journey, the Pilgrims composed an agreement that would establish just and equal laws for all members of the new community. Indeed, the revolutionary ideas expressed in the Mayflower Compact were derived from none other than the Holy Bible.
Only then, on November 11, 1620, did the Pilgrims leave the Mayflower. A cold and barren wilderness awaited them. There were no friends to greet them, no houses to shelter them, nor stores of food to sustain them. That first winter was perilous, as half the Pilgrims died of starvation, sickness, or exposure.
When spring arrived, an Indian named Squanto taught the settlers how to plant corn, fish, use fertilizer, and stalk deer. Bradford wrote that Squanto was “a special instrument sent of God for their good beyond their expectations.”
In October, following their first harvest, Governor Bradford set aside a day of thanksgiving. Squanto, his chief Massasoit, and other members of the tribe were invited to the thanksgiving feast. The Indians brought deer and turkeys, while the Pilgrim women cooked vegetables and fruit pies. The purpose of the feast was not to give thanks to the Indians or Mother Earth, as contemporary history textbooks commonly report, but as a devout expression of gratitude to God.
What modern history texts also omit is that the contract the Pilgrims brokered with their merchant-sponsors in London specified that everything they produce go into a common store, with each member entitled to one common share. In addition, all the land they cleared and the structures they built belonged to the community.
William Bradford, Governor of the new colony, realized the futility of collectivism and abandoned the practice. Instead, Bradford assigned a plot of land to each family and permitted them to market their own crops and other products, thereby unleashing the power of free enterprise. What Bradford had wisely realized was that these industrious people had no reason to work any harder than anyone else without the motivation of personal incentive.
Thus, what can only be called the Pilgrims’ attempt at socialism ended like all other attempts at socialism — in failure. What Bradford subsequently wrote about the experiment should be in every American history textbook. The lesson provided therein is invaluable.
“The experience that was had in this common course and condition, tried sundry years and that amongst godly and sober men, may well evince the vanity of that conceit of Plato’s and other ancients applauded by some of later times; that the taking away of property and bringing in community into a commonwealth would make them happy and flourishing; as if they were wiser than God. For this community (so far as it was) was found to breed much confusion and discontent and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort. For the young men, that were most able and fit for labour and service, did repine that they should spend their time and strength to work for other men’s wives and children without any recompense.”
And what happened after collectivism was replaced by capitalism and the concept of private property?
“This had very good success, for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been by any means the Governor or any other could use, and saved him a great deal of trouble, and gave far better content.”
The Pilgrims soon found they had more food than they could eat, so they set up trading posts and exchanged goods with the Indians. The profits they realized allowed them to pay off their debts to the merchants in London. The success and prosperity of the original Plymouth settlement attracted more European settlers, setting off what came to be known as the “Great Puritan Migration.”
Three hundred and eighty-two years later, Americans still set aside the fourth Thursday in November each year as a celebration of thanksgiving. Although this quintessentially American holiday has become more secular than religious, it was originated by devoutly Christian people who were expressing gratitude for the bounty brought forth by their labor and the blessings bestowed upon them by God.
Historical marker blogging
Highway 70 west of downtown Camden, Tennessee
The supreme arrogance of man
The Knoxville News Sentinel ran a story on November 23 about Michael Dowd, author of the book “Thank God for Evolution.” Reverend Dowd is a member of the United Church of Christ, one of the most liberal Christian denominations in the U.S., and we’re using the word “Christian” loosely here, since I question whether they are truly Christian or not. The UCC is the same denomination that gave us Jeremiah Wright, and also Barry Lynn, who heads Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Lynn has made it his life’s work to eradicate God from American culture, and has made the “religious right” his favorite whipping boy. When he’s not scouring the landscape looking for Crosses to uproot and Ten Commandments plaques to take down, he’s intimidating evangelical churches into staying silent on political issues. So it’s no wonder Reverend Dowd would belong to the same denomination.
Over the years, I’ve done considerable writing on Creation/evolution, so I don’t necessarily want to create the wheel here, but there are several quotes of his I must address.
Dowd: “God didn’t stop revealing truths vital to human well-being back when people believed the world was flat and religious insights were recorded on animal skin. God is still revealing today through the worldwide, self-correcting scientific process.”
I actually agree with this statement. However, Dowd incorrectly assumes that legitimate scientific inquiry into our origins is the exclusive domain of evolutionists. This is not the case. There is also a burgeoning discipline in Creation science. One of the most prominent organizations dedicated to Creation science is the invaluable Answers in Genesis, which publishes the Answers Research Journal and Answers Magazine.
Dowd: “The primary way that reality is revealed is in facts – facts are God’s native tongue. Now, when I see a new Hubble space photo or learn of a new fossil form, I don’t think to myself as I used to, ‘Oh no, how does this fit with Genesis?’ I instead think, ‘Look, how cool – look what God is revealing to us today.”
That’s a shame, because any minister who professes to be Christian ought to look at everything through the prism of the Scriptures. Credible Creation scientists do ask “How does this fit with Genesis?” And, believe me, the evidence we have fits nicely with Genesis. How one interprets that evidence is a matter of one’s worldview. Christians place the word of God above the word of man, and are therefore able to make intelligent, cogent conclusions about our origins that are consistent with Genesis. Darwinists look at the same evidence, and because they place the word of man above the word of God, they require an explanation for our origins that either does not include God, or includes a perverted version of God inconsistent with Scripture.
Dowd: “I would say lack of integrity is the primary cause of suffering in the world, and this lack is evident in corporations, families, and states. Integrity is what religious people might call being right with God, or being aligned with reality as it is and not as we wish it was. I keep coming back to the issue that evolution theology is a call of integrity at all levels.”
Obviously, anyone who would pervert the Word of God, placing Darwinian theory above the plain truth that is explicit in Scripture is supremely arrogant and knows little about integrity.
Dowd: “As long as people think they can praise God and trash the environment or treat others in a disrespectful way, they’re out of touch with reality.”
And here Dowd’s liberalism shines right on through. He probably buys into global warming — another perversion of science.
Dowd: “We as human animals will go somewhere to find what inspires us, that which calls us to greater integrity, care, compassion, love. Until we can offer an interpretation (of science) that is inspiring, people are going to reject it. Most people have never been exposed to a deeply inspiring, religious way of interpreting the history of the Earth. Conservatives should continue to reject evolution until they encounter something that calls to them.”
Science has nothing to do with inspring people. Science is science, whether people reject it or not. The facts are what they are, and evolution is woefully short on facts, and long on fantasy. Those of us who are invested in the truth of Scripture are plenty inspired by it, and that is our true calling.
Historical marker blogging
Downtown Clarksville, Tennessee
It would be sinful to lay people off so these kinds of exemptions could be preserved
That’s Governor Bredesen, who wants to close a tax loophole that would affect about 2,700 state businesses registered as family-owned noncorporate entities, or FONCE’s. These small businesses are shielded from paying corporate taxes on about $5 billion worth of property and $500 million in profits.
Jim Brown, Tennessee director for the National Federation of Independent Businesses, said his members are concerned that changes could affect small operations.
“There are a lot of mom-and-pops out there,” he said. “More than 50 percent of our members have five employees or fewer – these aren’t entrepreneurs investing in skyscrapers.”
The Revenue Department has sent out follow-up letters to about 2,000 businesses that didn’t respond to the first survey with the threat of having their exemption canceled if they don’t reply.
The exemption for the 0.25 percent franchise tax on property values and 6.5 percent excise tax on income means the state is doing without $45 million it would be collecting if those businesses were not claiming an exemption.
So the Bredesen wants to soak mom-and-pop businesses with an additional $45 million in taxes, this coming as President-elect Obama has promised to raise federal taxes on businesses, and as the unemployment rate is rising. And so the Revenue Department is threatening to cancel the exemptions of businesses who refuse to fill out their silly surveys. But even more sinful is the governor’s assertion that it would be sinful to lay off state employees while keeping this exemption in place. For some reason, liberals believe they can raise taxes on businesses (and individuals, too) with no negative consequences for the businesses (and individuals). So soaking businesses with an additional $45 million taxes will keep the state government from laying people off, but wouldn’t raising business taxes force some businesses to lay people off, too?
A Democrat is about to assume high office, and now deficit spending is just dandy
The hypocrisy of the left is in the forefront these days. After listening to Democrats complain about deficit spending during the eight years of the Bush presidency, Barack Obama says economic recovery efforts will trump deficit concerns. Boy, I’ll say. The current-year deficit is expected to hit an astounding $1 trillion, far and away the largest in our history, far larger than any deficit during the Bush presidency, and most of that $1 trillion is due to the Democrat Congress’ giddiness in handing out bailout money to the private sector, spending money that we absolutely do not have.
To put the bailout into its proper perspective, Barry Ritholtz, who runs a blog called The Big Picture, points out that “If we add in the Citi bailout, the total cost now exceeds $4.6165 trillion dollars.” That’s more than the combined inflation-adjusted costs of: the Marshall Plan ($115.3 billion), Louisiana Purchase ($217 billion), race to the moon ($237 billion), S&L crisis ($256 billion), Korean War ($454 billion), New Deal ($500 billion, estimated), invasion of Iraq ($597 billion), Vietnam War ($698 billion), and NASA ($851.2 billion). All those add up to only $3.92 trillion.
Indeed, the bailout is intended to avert a financial crisis, but it has become such a behemoth, even by standards of the federal government, that the bailout has become the financial crisis.
This should put you in the mood to listen to Gregorian Chants
The following photographs were made at St. Mark’s Monastery in Florence, Italy.
Today’s Lebanon Democrat column: “Democrats claim God is a socialist”
The things liberals say about God. First, Jesus Christ was a community organizer, and now, according to State Representative Tommie Brown, God is a socialist. Next thing you know, the Holy Spirit will be a registered Democrat.
At any rate, Representative Brown was discussing cuts in the state’s budget in order to balance out an estimated $800 million deficit. Here’s the full quote: “I will be there doing battle for children and poor and middle-class families. We have to try to protect them. Maybe that’s socialism, but I suspect God might be a socialist, particularly Jesus Christ when he stopped to feed the multitudes.”
Representative Brown apparently falls for the thinking that government, and not families, is the sole guarantor of our children’s well-being. Government has no such role. If she really wanted to do something for the children, the poor, and the middle-class, Representative Brown should have joined ranks with the GOP years ago to lower or eliminate the state’s sales-tax on groceries. The Legislature had that opportunity during Governor Bredesen’s first term, when the state ran annual surpluses adding up to more than a billion dollars, and it wouldn’t have taken much to eliminate, or at least reduce the food tax by a significant amount. This was something Senator Mae Beavers attempted to do, but to no avail.
Instead, the Democrat-led General Assembly and our Democrat governor used those surpluses to grow government, rebuffing repeated attempts by Republican members to cut the food tax, and the Democrats even raised taxes on cigarettes to accommodate even more spending. And, just as we conservatives predicted, when the lean economic times came, the state would find itself in a mess, just as we did during the ill-fated second term of turncoat, disgraced Governor Don Sundquist. We taxpayers learned from that experience. Our lawmakers didn’t.
The budget deficit could have been much worse, though. Earlier this year, state lawmakers whacked $468 million off the governor’s proposed budget for FY 2008-09, but the budget that was passed still exceeded the Copeland Cap by $723 million. (The Copeland Cap limits budget increases to economic plus population growth, but can be — and routinely is — overridden by a simple majority vote in the Legislature.) It is therefore not a coincidence that the budget deficit is proportional to the amount that the state government overspent. Had Governor Bredesen and the General Assembly stayed within the cap, we wouldn’t be talking about a deficit.
To remedy the shortfall, Governor Bredesen earlier ordered state departments to cut their budgets by 3%, but recognizes that “we’re going to have to go beyond that.” Governor Bredesen has set things like prisons and education off-limits to cuts, but other departments are going to have to swallow cuts of 10% or larger.
State Representative Gerald McCormick (R-Chattanooga) echoed the governor’s pragmatism. “I’m sure there’s no sentiment out there to increase taxes. We’re just going to have to make choices and make cuts.”
Governor Bredesen says the budget will be partially balanced by drawing from the state’s rainy day fund, which currently sits at around $750 million, in addition to some $500 million in the TennCare reserve fund. He also acknowledges that some of the cuts will have to be made permanent in order to balance the FY 2009-10 budget.
Back to Tommie Brown’s remark, Christ only fed the multitude because he was able to multiply fish and bread loaves. Socialism affords no such miracles, because socialists don’t feed people. Capitalists do. If you look at all the places where socialism has actually been implemented (the former Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc, North Korea, Cuba), you will find that people commonly go hungry and lack other basic items and services that we in capitalist nations take for granted.
It’s amazing how liberals, who demand strict separation of church and state for evangelicals, have no problem using God to justify their own political positions.
Obama U.
At least one school in the U.S. has renamed itself after the Obamessiah. Michelle Malkin has posted some billboards the new Obama School might find useful.
