Conservative Papa

I learned a new word today: inimical.

in·im·i·cal (ĭ-nĭm’ĭ-kəl)

adj.

1. Injurious or harmful in effect; adverse: habits inimical to good health.
2. Unfriendly; hostile: a cold, inimical voice.

Here’s the original context from facebook:

Keith Beckman
Position: Yes, we should drill for more oil at home
“If we aren’t to be allowed the cleanest, safest form of energy currently feasible for our energy needs — nuclear power — we definitely need to produce more of our own oil, lessening our dependence on countries inimical to our interests.”

A year ago today, we brought home the second member of our automotive family: a 2006 Toyota Sienna. Carolyn chose this one because it has eight seats for future family expansion and few gadgets (no power doors, navigation, DVD, etc.) From the moment we saw it on the dealer’s lot, I dubed the color “pea soup.” Somehow, Carolyn liked it anyway — in spite of me, I think. (Toyota calls the color “silver pine mica.”)

We all love our mini-van, even though we put less than 8,000 miles on it this year. My, how much Andrew and Esther have changed since these pictures were taken last January!

I had always been taught that Christmas was a replacement for a pagan holiday. This biblical proof that Jesus was born about December 25 is very interesting. Merry Christmas everyone!

Lambs are born at the Christmas season « kainos
By John Stormer

Is there evidence that Jesus was born at Christmas??

For too many years, pastors and teachers have said, “Of course we don’t know when Christ was actually born - but the time of year is not really important.” Jehovah’s Witnesses and others have taught that Christmas was “invented” in the fourth or fifth centuries. The supposed goal was giving a “Christian” facade or influence to the wild pagan or Satanic holiday observances during the winter solstice the shortest days of the year.

What’s the real story? Is there any real evidence that Jesus Christ was born at Christmas? A careful examination of a number of seemingly unrelated Bible passages gives clear indication that the Lord Jesus was indeed born at Christmas time. Such study will give new emphasis to what Christ came to do. It will also provide a much deeper appreciation of all that is hidden in the Word of God which can be discovered by those who prayerfully search the scriptures.

Read the entire article!

From a forwarded email I received last year.

Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience. I had cut back on nonessential obligations — extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating, and even overspending. Yet still, I found myself exhausted, unable to appreciate the precious family moments, and of course, the true meaning of Christmas.

My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting season for a six-year-old. For weeks, he’d been memorizing songs for his school’s “Winter Pageant.”

I didn’t have the heart to tell him I’d be working the night of the production. Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She assured me there’d be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation. All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then. Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise.

So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down. Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats. As I waited, the students were led into the room. Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then, each group, one by one, rose to perform their song.

Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as Christmas,” I didn’t expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment - songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer. So, when my son’s class rose to sing, “Christmas Love,” I was slightly taken aback by its bold title.

Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads. Those in the front row-center stage — held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song. As the class would sing “C is for Christmas,” a child would hold up the letter C. Then, “H is for Happy,” and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, “Christmas Love.”

The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her; a small, quiet, girl in the front row holding the letter “M” upside down — totally unaware her letter “M” appeared as a “W.”

The audience of 1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one’s mistake. But she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her “W.” Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together. A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen. In that instant, we understood the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our festivities.

For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear:

“C H R I S T W A S L O V E”

And, I believe, He still is. Amazed in His presence… Humbled by His love.

May each of you have a Merry Christmas as you reflect on His Amazing Love for us.

Hope you all have a wonderful Christwaslove holiday season.

Peter Wehner on Mike Huckabee & 2008 & Foreign Affairs on National Review Online
The Problem With Pastor Mike
Foreign-policy foolishness just wont suffice.By Peter Wehner

Former Arkansas governor and Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee has written an article for Foreign Affairs magazine, the first two paragraphs of which are stunningly silly, misguided, and unfortunately for Huckabee, deeply revealing.

The two opening paragraphs read this way:

The United States, as the worlds only superpower, is less vulnerable to military defeat. But it is more vulnerable to the animosity of other countries. Much like a top high school student, if it is modest about its abilities and achievements, if it is generous in helping others, it is loved. But if it attempts to dominate others, it is despised.

American foreign policy needs to change its tone and attitude, open up, and reach out. The Bush administrations arrogant bunker mentality has been counterproductive at home and abroad. My administration will recognize that the United States main fight today does not pit us against the world but pits the world against the terrorists. At the same time, my administration will never surrender any of our sovereignty, which is why I was the first presidential candidate to oppose ratification of the Law of the Sea Treaty, which would endanger both our national security and our economic interests.

The above quote (except for the last two sentences) really makes me wonder about Mike Huckabee. A perusal of this page from the Huckabee campaign site might depict some fence-straddling positions.

Fred Thompson was my main hope when he announced his candidacy a few months ago. I hadn’t really considered Huckabee until his recent surge brought him to the fore. There is a lot I like about him — on the surface at least. Statements such as the above erode his conservative appearance. Maybe I’ll vote for Thompson, instead. I have a lot of studying to do before next month’s presidential preference vote!

AFA ActionAlert
Only weeks after voting for a resolution that “recognizes the Islamic faith as one of the great religions of the world,” seventeen Democrats in the U.S. House refused to vote for a Christmas resolution that condemns the worldwide persecution of Christians.

In an act of intolerance toward Christianity (and Christmas), Reps. Alcee Hastings and Debbie Wasserman Shultz have decided that religious discrimination should be the rule of law. By their vote, Christmas is not worthy of recognition by the United States government and should be shunned at all costs.

I am happy to report that my congressman voted neither yea nor nea on either of these silly bills. Is this the kind of thing we pay Congress to do? No! It doesn’t accomplish anything except express the opinion of Congress, for which I could care less!

This kind of bill could be construed as supporting an establishment of religion, contrary to the First Amendment. Don’t get me wrong — I’m not one of those nut jobs who twist the First Amendment to mean that there shouldn’t be nativity scenes on the Town Hall lawn or that Congress shouldn’t start each day with prayer. I’m just saying that these two bills are nothing but a bunch of hot air that take away from the real legislation that Congress is supposed to be debating.

U.S. Copyright Office - What Does Copyright Protect? FAQ
Can I get a star named after me and claim copyright to it?
No. There is a lot misunderstanding about this. Names are not protected by copyright. Publishers of publications such as a star registry may register a claim to copyright in the text of the volume [or book] containing the names the registry has assigned to stars, and perhaps the compilation of data; but such a registration would not extend protection to any of the individual star names appearing therein. For further information on copyright protection and names, see Circular 34, Copyright Protection Not Available for Names, Titles, or Short Phrases

Five years, three children, and more fun than a human being should be allowed to have!

Opera files antitrust complaint with the EU
The complaint describes how Microsoft is abusing its dominant position by tying its browser, Internet Explorer, to the Windows operating system and by hindering interoperability by not following accepted Web standards. Opera has requested the Commission to take the necessary actions to compel Microsoft to give consumers a real choice and to support open Web standards in Internet Explorer.”We are filing this complaint on behalf of all consumers who are tired of having a monopolist make choices for them,” said Jon von Tetzchner, CEO of Opera. “In addition to promoting the free choice of individual consumers, we are a champion of open Web standards and cross-platform innovation. We cannot rest until we’ve brought fair and equitable options to consumers worldwide.”

As an amateur web developer, there is no need to convince me of the necessity of open standards or the developers’ nightmare that is Internet Explorer! However, I think it’s bad politics for a government to step in and meddle with a free market. Unfortunately, if any major government will do it, the European Union will gladly serve as Opera’s big club against Microsoft.

KGO-AM 810 NewsTalk
KGO Host Bernie Ward Pleads Not GuiltyKGO night-time talk show host Bernie Ward was indicted in Federal Court on Thursday on two counts of child pornography using the Internet. Ward pleaded not guilty to all charges. Ward’s attorney says the incidents are from more than four years ago and were a part of research for a book.

Follow the link and click listen to hear the radio report.

Now that I’m out of the KGO listening area, I haven’t heard Bernie Ward in years, but — talk radio junkie that I was, even as a teenager — I must have listed to dozens of hours of his classic left-coast nut-case rantings.

He had an obnoxious tactic (much worse than Sean Hannity’s implementation) of forcing callers who disagreed with him to answer an irrelevant question. If the caller wouldn’t answer, Bernie would hang up on him. Often if the caller did answer, the anwer he was forced to make would “prove” Bernie’s point and he would go on to the next caller, anyway.

For a while, he had the prime-time 7-10 pm slot, but he is now in the later 10 pm - 1 am slot. Perhaps he was too far out in left field to compete in the ratings — even for the San Fransisco Bay area listeners!

Another Bernie Ward memory is his hosting of the “religious” show God Talk. Just about everything on the show was anathema to our conservative Christian family. All the same, my father would punish us by making us listen to it on the way to church if we were running late!

As for these child porn charges that bring him into the national news, I have no way to pass judgment on them. My guess is that he may be technically guilty, but innocent as to his intent. In California courts, the latter is likely more important, so he will probably get off the hook.