Mark's Views, Perhaps — from behind my eyeballs
That’s a good line to remember.
And use.
A very good one.
And a classy one, too.
Thank you, Mr. President:
| Former President George W. Bush says he won’t criticize President Barack Obama because Obama “deserves my silence….”
He declined to comment about the Obama administration…. |
A refreshing approach and tone in this day and age.
| The online version of a popular board game from many Americans’ childhood includes an option for players to choose homosexual marriage and child-rearing as a way of life.
Through the Shockwave.com website, even children can download and play a free trial version of The Game of Life, the first game ever created by Mr. Milton Bradley in 1860. The player’s first option in the online version is to choose a persona based on pictures that clearly depict men and women. Shortly thereafter, the game invites players to choose a spouse, regardless of the potential spouse’s sex. |
So that’s life.
But do they also create the option for skipping marriage altogether and just shacking up with your “significant other” (I despise that expression!)?
And the option to divorce?
Or have an abortion?
For the record, the board version of the game also allows taking a same-sex spouse.
So…add another point to freedom’s score. 🙄
And speaking of freedom….
| Index of Personal and Economic Freedom
This paper presents the first-ever comprehensive ranking of the American states on their public policies affecting individual freedoms in the economic, social, and personal spheres. We develop and justify our ratings and aggregation procedure on explicitly normative criteria, defining individual freedom as the ability to dispose of one’s own life, liberty, and justly acquired property however one sees fit, so long as one does not coercively infringe on other individuals’ ability to do the same. […] We find that the freest states in the country are New Hampshire, Colorado, and South Dakota, which together achieve a virtual tie for first place. All three states feature low taxes and government spending and middling levels of regulation and paternalism. New York is the least free by a considerable margin, followed by New Jersey, Rhode Island, California and Maryland. On personal freedom alone, Alaska is the clear winner, while Maryland brings up the rear. As for freedom in the different regions of the country, the Mountain and West North Central regions are the freest overall while the Middle Atlantic lags far behind on both economic and personal freedom. |
As I recall, Oregon ranks #27 overall.
For perspective, I expect many people in the world would say we don’t have anything to fuss about regarding freedom here in the States. Even if they would have to live in New York or Maryland.
Lifetime home phone service for $200?
| Want free home phone service for life? Clark has a $200 device to tell you about that promises just that — with no monthly fees ever!
[…] The Ooma device looks like a house intercom. You plug a cable for your Internet into it; you plug your traditional landline phone into it; and suddenly you have phone service! Ooma also has a built-in processor that supposedly makes the sound quality comparable to monopoly phone service. |
Other Clark Howard gleanings:
(Thankfully, KeyCorp is among those Top Thirteen banks said to be healthy at this time.)
Special teddy bears blessed by church
| A morning service last weekend at the First United Church of Christ in Hollywood took a cute and cuddly turn with a bunch of sweet-faced visitors staring back at worshipers from their place of honor next to the altar.
The batch of about 35 stuffed toy animals were warmly welcomed as special guests when the Rev. Jack Branford presided over the congregation’s annual Blessing of the Bears. The critters received an inspirational send-off before going to their new home, into the arms of elderly residents at the Hollywood Hills Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center. |
Blessed by Giving – Spiritually
| Yet, it is a spiritual act that we perform in worship to God. When we give generously we are honoring His name, giving Him first place, and extending His Kingdom. Giving is grace.
Today, seek ways to be full of grace to others – find ways that you can give generously. |
President’s Political Protector Is Ever Close at Hand
| There are few words that come across the president’s lips that have not been blessed by Mr. Axelrod. He reviews every speech, studies every major policy position and works with Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, to prepare responses to the crisis of the day. |
| I am blessed by the realization that God knows me as well as knowing about me. I am encouraged also by the assurance that He knows the course of my life even before I experience it. As Job put it, “He knoweth the way that I take” (Job 23:10). |
Pastor to the deaf blessed by his calling
| Armstrong officially kicked off his ministry on Sunday with a special event for deaf people in the congregation and other invited guests.
Executive Pastor James Scudder Jr. says Armstrong’s work is more significant than it looks. “This is so much more than just providing sign language interpretation for the sermon,” he said. “David’s ministry works to keep the deaf fully included in the life of the church. They are part of our family, not a subgroup.” |
So what have you been blessed by today?
Alternate question: Who has been blessed by you today?
So…what’s in the headlines this morning?
There. I don’t know how long that took. But it was quite a while. It would have been faster, but I did it between other computer and online projects. It’s much more efficient for me that way.
Now, make it a good day.
Socialized and nationalized under the radar screen:
| If I told you that there’s someone in my very middle-class neighborhood who, rather than being upset with the high-speed re-direction of our culture toward a socialist mindset, is ready to pour billions of additional dollars into completing that transition, would it bother you?
What if I said that there’s someone just like that in your neighborhood as well? And someone with identical intentions in every neighborhood in America? You know, if you’re a regular reader of my columns, that I don’t truck in conspiracy theories. So I’m not here to tell you some dark and scary secrets. I will argue, on the other hand, how frightening it is that something can be so very out in the open and still escape our attention. And then I want to propose something of an answer. The sinister influence is… |
He makes a very good point.
Like frogs, we easily boil slowly. But we object to boiling too fast.
Oh…and what do you think I mean with this post’s title?
| According to the article below, the two remaining Beatles (the musical group from the 60s) will be teaching children around the world to meditate. But they aren’t the only ones who are putting kids in touch with their higher, mystical selves. From AWANA clubs, to Focus on the Family’s Odyssey to Eugene Peterson’s Message Bible for Kids to Rob Bell’s Nooma films in the Christian schools, Christian leaders and teachers are bringing kids to the contemplative, mystical waters as well. Please see our links below. |
So there you are.