Friday, November 21, 2008

Scientists take a step closer to an elixir of youth

Researchers believe boosting the amount of a naturally forming enzyme in the body could prevent cells dying and so lead to extended, healthier, lifespans. The protein telomerase helps maintain the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes which act like the ends of shoelaces and stop them unravelling.

read more | digg story

Thursday, October 30, 2008

McCain is trusted by the average 'Joe'

Below is a letter by a man named Joe that was posted on a few other sites. It emphasizes character over appearance.


I am a 46 years old, a born-again Christian, a husband, a father, a small business owner, a veteran, and a homeowner. I don’t consider myself to be either conservative or liberal, and I vote for the person, not Republican or Democrat. I don’t believe there are ‘two Americas’ but that every person in this country can be whomever and whatever they want to be if they’ll just work to get there and nowhere else on earth can they find such opportunities. I believe our government should help those who are legitimately downtrodden, and should always put the interests of America first.
The purpose of this message is that I’m concerned about the future of this great nation. I’m worried that the silent majority of honest, hard-working, tax-paying people in this country have been passive for too long. Most folks I know choose not to involve themselves in politics. They go about their daily lives, paying their bills, raising their kids, and doing what they can to maintain the good life. They vote and consider doing so to be a sacred trust. They shake their heads at the political pundits and so-called ‘news’, thinking that what they hear is always spun by whomever is reporting it. They can’t understand how elected officials can regularly violate the public trust with pork barrel spending. They don’t want government handouts. They want the government to protect them, not raise their taxes for more government programs.
We are in the unique position in this country of electing our leaders. It’s a privilege to do so. I’ve never found a candidate in any election with whom I agreed on everything. I’ll wager that most of us don’t even agree with our families or spouses 100% of the time. So when I step into that voting booth, I always try to look at the big picture and cast my vote for the man or woman who is best qualified for the job. I’ve hired a lot of people in my lifetime, and essentially that’s what an election is - a hiring process.
Who has the credentials? Whom do I want working for me? Whom can I trust to do the job right?
I’m concerned that a growing number of voters in this country simply don’t get it. They are caught up in a fervor they can’t explain, and calling it ‘change’.
‘Change what?’, I ask.
‘Well, we’re going to change America ‘, they say.
‘In what way?’, I query.
‘We want someone new and fresh in the White House’, theyexclaim.
‘So, someone who’s not a politician?’, I say.
‘Uh, well, no, we just want a lot of stuff changed, so we’re voting for Obama’, they state.
‘So the current system, the system of freedom and democracy that has enabled a man to grow up in this great country, get a fine education, raise incredible amounts of money and dominate the news, and win his party’s nomination for the White House that system’s all wrong?’
‘No, no, that part of the system’s okay we just need a lot of change.
And so it goes. ‘Change we can believe in.
Quite frankly, I don’t believe that vague proclamations of change hold any promise for me. In recent months, I’ve been asking virtually everyone I encounter how they’re voting. I live in Illinois , so most folks tell me they’re voting for Barack Obama. But no one can really tell me why only that he’s going to change a lot of stuff ‘Change, change,change.’ I have yet to find one single person who can tell me distinctly and convincingly why this man is qualified to be President and Commander-in-Chief of the most powerful nation on earth other than the fact that he claims he’s going to implement a lot of change.
We’ve all seen the emails about Obama’s genealogy, his upbringing, his Muslim background, and his church affiliations. Let’s ignore this for a moment. Put it all aside.
Then ask yourself, ‘What qualifies this man to be my president? That he’s a brilliant orator and talks about change?’
CHANGE WHAT?
Friends, I’ll be forthright with you I believe the American voters who are supporting Barack Obama don’t have a clue what they’re doing, as evidenced by the fact that not one of them - NOT ONE of them I’ve spoken to can spell out his qualifications. Not even the most liberal media can explain why he should be elected. Political experience? Negligible. Foreign relations? Nonexistent. Achievements? Name one. Someone who wants to unite the country? If you haven’t read his wife’s thesis from Princeton , look it up on the web. This is who’s lining up to be our next First Lady? The only thing I can glean from Obama’s constant harping about change is that we’re in for a lot of new taxes.
For me, the choice is clear. I’ve looked carefully at the two leading applicants for the job, and I’ve made my choice.
Here’s a question - ‘Where were you five and a half years ago? Around Christmas, 2002. You’ve had five or six birthdays in that time. My son has grown from a sixth grade child to a high school graduate.Five and a half years is a good chunk of time. About 2,000 days. 2,000 nights of sleep. 6,000 meals, give or take.
John McCain spent that amount of time, from 1967 to 1973,in a North Vietnamese prisoner-of-war camp.
When offered early release, he refused it. He considered this offer to be a public relations stunt by his captors, and insisted that those held longer than he should be released first. Did you get that part? He was offered his freedom, and he turned it down. A regimen of beatings and torture began.
Do you possess such strength of character? Locked in a filthy cell in a foreign country, would you turn down your own freedom in favor of your fellow man? I submit that’s a quality of character that is rarely found, and for me, this singular act defines John McCain.
Unlike several presidential candidates in recent years whose military service is questionable or nonexistent, you will not find anyone to denigrate the integrity and moral courage of this man.
A graduate ofAnnapolis, during his Naval service he received the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and distinguished Flying Cross.
His own son is nowserving in the Marine Corps in Iraq . Barack Obama is fond of saying ‘We honor John McCain’s service…BUT…’, which to me is condescending andoffensive - because what I hear is, ‘Let’s forget this man’s sacrifice for his country, and his proven leadership abilities, and talk some more aboutchange.
I don’t agree with John McCain on everything - but I am utterly convinced that he is qualified to be our next President, and I trust him to do what’s right. I know in my heart that he has the best interests of our country in mind. He doesn’t simply want to be President - he wants to lead America , and there’s a huge difference. Factually, there is simply no comparison between the two candidates. A man of questionable background and motives who rattles on about change, can’t hold a candle to a man who has devoted his life in public service to this nation, retiring from the Navy in 1981 and elected to the Senate in 1982.
Perhaps Obama’s supporters are taking a stance between old and new. Maybe they don’t care about McCain’s service or his strength of character, or his unblemished qualifications to be President. Maybe ‘likeability’ is a higher priority for them than ‘trust’. Being a prisoner of war is not what qualifies John McCain to be President of the United States of America - but his demonstrated leadership certainly DOES.
Dear friends, it is time for us to stand. It is time for thinking Americans to say, ‘Enough.’ It is time for people of all parties to stop following the party line.
It is time for anyone who wants to keepAmerica first, who wants the right man leading their nation, to start a dialogue with all their friends and neighbors and ask who they’re voting for, and why.
There’s a lot of evil in this world. That should be readily apparent to all of us by now. And when faced with that evil as we are now, I want a man who knows the cost of war on his troops and on his citizens. I want a man who puts my family’s interests before any foreign country.
I want a President who’s qualified to lead.
I want my country back, and I’m voting for John McCain

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

American Jews Need To Decide On Israel's Best Interests

Ben Shapiro quite simply lays it out pertaining to how November's outcome could affect Israel. The expression, "Never Again", still applies. Today....more than ever.

read more | digg story

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

The Mishandling Of Sarah Palin

McCain either really wants to lose, is jealous, or perhaps incompetent. Obama will walk away witht his election unless someone (Palin) energizes the electorate. Let the Pitbull loose!

read more | digg story

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Fifth Grader Suspended For Wearing Anti-Obama Shirt

An 11-year-old boy in Colorado was suspended from school after he refused to take off a shirt that read, “Obama is a terrorist’s best friend.” His father says that the school is violating his son’s First Amendment rights.

read more | digg story

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Huckabee Complicates GOP Contest

After his disappointing showing in South Carolina, Mike Huckabee was supposed to be a spent force. The former Arkansas governor's triumph in the Iowa caucuses would be relegated to the history books and deemed no more significant than Christian evangelist Pat Robertson's defeat of George H.W. Bush...

read more | digg story

Friday, February 01, 2008

McCain/Huckabee ticket a nightmare for Democrats…Republicans too

Is it possible? A Presidential ticket that is despised and perhaps even feared by both political parties? In its quest for change, voters are rejecting the extremes of their parties to look at more Middle America, everyday “Normal Joe” candidates to lead them. On the Republican side, John McCain and Mike Huckabee are two candidates that have the establishment shaking their heads.
When conservative talk show hosts like Rush Limbaugh and Michael Medved come out swinging, calling McCain and Huckabee Liberals and saying that their nomination would be the end of the GOP, voters ignored them and flocked to these two men. The establishment’s first pick, Rudy Giuliani, has faded into the sunset and their new show boy, Mitt Romney, despite his personal war chest to dip into for his campaign, can’t seem to gain much traction on McCain.
The truth is, when the “establishment” calls these candidates liberals, they are ignoring their proven conservative record on social issues such as abortion and family matters and instead focus on fiscal concerns and illegal immigration, where the candidates are a bit more moderate, or to put it a better way, compassionate. The extreme Right wing of the party wouldn’t mind going door to door Gestapo style searching for illegal immigrants to burn at the stake. Of course, the left isn’t any better; they would go door to door also, but they would hand out cradle to grave benefits at taxpayer expense. These two men understand the need for a secure border for our safety, but unlike their colleagues, they won’t resort to landmines and an electric fence. They understand the desire of immigrants to provide a better life for their families, even risking death in the process. Of course, they are still illegal, and need to be dealt with, but they should not be the main focus of this campaign. Americans seem to be more concerned with the war on terror, the economy being in the dumps, and with issues like Education and Crime.
And when it comes to taxes, both McCain and Huckabee understand the need to balance tax cuts with spending cuts. Voters understand and voted out the Republican spendthrifts in the last election. When looking at the taxes that were raised in Arkansas under Huckabee, one sees that the money raised was used for improvements in the Education system and infrastructure, as well as creating a balanced budget. In fact, Time magazine named Huckabee one of America’s 5 best Governors. Compare that to the deficit accrued under the Republican controlled Congress. And McCain has promised, should he become President, to veto any bill with pork barrel spending in it. That scares legislators who depend on padding bills with pork for their districts so they can get re-elected.
The Democratic establishment fears these men because they know they would lose to such a formable ticket in the fall. The current Republican establishment fears them because it would lose control of the Party. Fortunately, the rest of America, the America politicians on both sides of the aisle have conveniently forgotten, love them and may just choose them as their new leaders. John McCain and Mike Huckabee: good for America, bad for Politics.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Dishonor Among Thieves

Every once and awhile the Arizona Daily Star will print an Opinion piece that doesn't reflect their bias. While they edited my piece, they were fairly generous in what they printed. The link is http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/education/213597. Most comments were positive on the article.

Monday, November 26, 2007

New TV Ad: "Believe"

New TV ad with Mike Huckabee explaining how his faith informs his life. This should galvanize conservatives. Anyone who likes Romney will love Huckabee.

read more | digg story

Friday, November 23, 2007

TV Ad: "Chuck Norris Approved"

This is a proven conservative in politics. Hopefully he will rise quickly enough in name recognition to win the nomination.

read more | digg story

Monday, October 22, 2007

One Presidential Candidate Supported By Chuck Norris

Ex-Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee has the unreserved endorsement of WND columnist Chuck Norris.

read more | digg story

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Microchips could prevent child abduction tragedies

The Arizona Daily Star published my Editorial on using GPS chips to track missing children. The published article is here. While it is important to edit articles for clarity and or space concerns, overediting can water down the original message. Many comments on the newspaper's site derided me and missed the bigger picture. Below is the unedited version of the article. More information may explain the intent.

How much is your child worth?
This past week brought more devastating news of abducted children. A 3 day old newborn was taken from a hospital in Texas and a six year old Georgia boy disappeared while walking back from a neighbor’s 1 block away from his home. The baby girl was found a couple of days later in New Mexico but the six year old still has not been found. A sexual predator has since been arrested on suspicion of being involved with his disappearance.
Like the little newborn girl, news of kidnapped children being found alive is always a wonderful outcome. In January, 13 year old Ben Ownby, who went missing January 8, and 15 year old Shawn Hornbeck, who had been missing for four long years were found. Craig Akers, Hornbeck’s stepfather, had given up everything he had in the search for his son and other missing children. In fact, he and his wife started a foundation to help in the search for other missing children (The Shawn Hornbeck Foundation – http://www.shawnhornbeck.com/). The discovery of his little boy, now fifteen, was a beautiful blessing.
Amber Alerts flash across the TV screen and the radio stations stop to ask the public to watch for yet another child that has gone missing. Week after week and month after month, stories continue to hit the media of children, teenagers, and young adults disappearing, many only to be found dead later. And for what purpose? For the sick perverted pleasure of a depraved person whose selfish desires are worth more than your child’s life.
Some steps have been made toward the punishment of these criminals, such as “Jessica’s Law” in Florida and similar statutes in other states. But these are only laws that are used after the fact, once a child has been harmed. What about preventative measures; or a least a process to find the victim before they have been harmed or killed. A controversial method involving GPS tracking may be the answer.
For years, animals have been injected with a microchip about the size of a grain of rice to help with keeping track of their location. Some merely have information that lets the person scanning the animal know to whom it belongs. Other chips actually incorporate GPS technology which allows tracking by satellite. This technology is so advanced that the animal could be tracked to a space of a few square meters. The question arises whether the same technology could be used with people. The answer is yes.
Verizon Wireless has plans to help parent locate their children using cell phones (http://www.mobiletracker.net/archives/2006/01/20/verizon-lbs). And a chip embedded shoe will be on the market later this month. Isaac Daniels, who had a scare when his 8 year old went missing in 2002, has developed this technology to help track the wearer at the press of a button (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techinnovations/2007-02-09-gps-sneakers_x.htm). Fortunately his child was safe, it was just a miscommunication. But would if the child doesn’t have on the shoes or phone or if it is lost or discarded by an abductor? By injecting a chip under the skin, perhaps behind the ear or in the back of the hand, children could be located immediately. Of course teenagers wouldn’t like that but their safety should be paramount. There is always the fear that the technology could be abused by the Government, but seeing that the measure would be voluntary and the fact that the chip could be removed, probably after the child becomes an adult and decides to, should alleviate some fears, especially among civil libertarians and people with privacy concerns.
Had this idea been used earlier, perhaps children like Danielle van Dam, Samantha Runnion, and Jessica Lundsford would still be alive. Other kidnapped children like Hornbeck and Ownby, who thankfully were found alive, could have been found not after days, or in Hornbeck’s situation, years, rather, they would have been found immediately. With the continuing rate of children being abducted, look for this option to gain support. As for the concern about privacy, the question becomes, what is your child worth?