"Terri Irwin has hit out at critics who accuse her of pushing eight-year-old daughter, Bindi, into the media spotlight."

-snip-

"She said Bindi, who is home-schooled and lives inside the family's Queensland animal park, Australia Zoo, had an easier lifestyle than many other children.  Every child is an individual and every parent needs to approach it uniquely and individually," Irwin, explaining the way she raises Bindi, said.  Bindi, who finished year 3 last year, was an A-grade student, she said.  I wouldn't say Bindi has it easy, because I have to make her go to school," she said.  She doesn't always want to go to school.  But, when it comes to extra-curricular activities I don't have to make her sing and dance.  She asks to.  Certainly I want to help encourage her in whatever direction she wants to take."

-snip-

"I think Bindi's schedule is a lot easier than a lot of children's," Irwin explained.  "...There's a lot of kids who have soccer practice, piano lessons, dance lessons and parents start feeling like a chauffeur and kids start feeling overwhelmed.  Bindi is certainly not like that.  Our evenings (at home in Queensland) are together as a family and we are really blessed to be able to be in a situation where we can take time off like that."

-snip-

Full original article here.

Anybody remember Elián Gonzalez?  The little boy who, in 2000, came with his mother and several others across the waters from Cuba to Florida on a small boat -- whose mother died (as well as 10 others) during the crossing.  The little boy who was traumatized not only by the death of his mother but by the tug-o-war game played by his Florida relatives and the federal government.  The little boy who now lives, once again, with his father in Cuba.

It's always a child that grabs our attention to these matters.

Saul Arellano, an American-born citizen of an illegal immigrant mother, is the latest posterchild for the debate of what to do about the illegal population in the US.  Saul's mother, Elvira Arellano, walked across the border with Mexico illegally in 1997.  (Twice - once caught and the second time was not caught.)  She's used a false social security number to work in Chicago.  She was convicted for this crime and served three years probation for it.  She was to appear at the immigration office in Chicago.  Rather than do this, she and her son have been living in Chicago church since August 15th, claiming sanctuary.  Legally there is no provision for this in the US and authorities could take her into custody whenever they felt like it but they've opted, so far, not to do that.

Elvira's 7 year old son, Saul, was sent to Mexico (without her) to speak to the Mexican congress -- asking for help in getting the US to allow his mother and other's in the same situation (illegal parents/legal children) to stay in the US legally.

Of course, Mexico's government is all for this.  They have called for the US to suspend Elvira's deportation and any others like her.  An article states that this would benefit more than 4.9 million children living in the US as legal citizens whose parent(s) just happen to be illegal.

Rock and a hard place?  This is why deportation laws should not be hampered by red tape, paperwork, and lack of detention facilities throughout this country.  Had this particular woman, Elvira, been detained when it was first noted that her social security number was false we might not be hearing about this, if in fact she's been using it since she first got here.  It is extremely likely that when her son was born it was known that she was illegal.  The US consistantly absorbs the cost for hospitalization and medical care to low-income illegal women giving birth and the cherry on top of that marvelous sundae is that the child is born a US citizen... and they will not seperate and deport at that point in time.  Yep, this a rock and hard place... all over the place.  (Personally, I've never understood why citizenship is automatically granted to these children.  Having lived on the border for many, many years I've known of countless numbers of children born to illegals just this side of the border for the sole purpose of creating this conflicting scenario.  And it works!  Those children are then eligible for every right a citizen has coming to them, including but not limited to:  WIC, foodstamps, free education, free healthcare, etc.  It's hard to look at those little children and think of denying them those things... but it's the planning on the illegal parent(s) part that makes this tax-paying American citizen's blood boil regarding it all.) 

What do you do with these laws that the government doesn't have the backbone to enforce?  Because they don't have the backbone to enforce them does it mean these laws are not good/workable laws?  Laws are meant to serve and protect the citizens of this country.  Laws stating that illegals should be deported may not be warm and fuzzy kinds of laws but they serve a purpose.  Without them, anyone can come here and do as they please, like Elvira.  Oh wait, even with them anyone can come here and do as they please.  So what do we do?  Enforce the laws, finally, and say pbthth to the brotherhood of man... or don't enforce the laws, as usual, and live with the problems that come with being lax. 

You know, somehow, I think if all the politics were stripped from the matter it would be far easier to figure a solution.  People, for the most part, are willing to help others.  It's the sneaking in and using false documents and such, along with the various country's demands of how their citizens should be treated on our soil that make it into you're being taken for a ride.  I don't mind helping someone out if they ask me for help but I don't take kindly to someone helping themselves to the contents of my wallet and then telling me I should be kind about the theft, know what I mean?   

I was recently in the position of sending out invitations to local and national businesses to contribute a donation (of any kind, at their choosing) for door prizes to be awarded to U.S. Border Patrol agents at their annual sector Christmas party.  The letter is rather generic and I see it as an invitation to those businesses to show their appreciation to those agents for their hard, and sometimes dangerous, work.  I don't know how the businesses see it but out of 150 or so letters sent we've gotten immediate and pleasant replies so far from many.

One immediate response recieved back was from walmart.  It was not pleasant, in my opinion.  It was a letter informing us that walmart corporation does not donate/sponsor such things.  I didn't expect them to, really.  I sent the letter to them only to see what response they would have, if any, and figured it would be a resounding "no thanks".  I wasn't disappointed - only more sure of what walmart is.

Go here to check out some of the events at Boise State University's diversity week.  Some of the insane things on tap, that walmart is sponsoring, are:  Gay History of Idaho, "how to recoginize heterosexism and how to deal with it", "the decline of American values and ethics", and a dance for those 24 years old and younger. 

Perhaps if I had said I was one of the drug smugglers or people traffickers walmart would have been more generous to us.  It does seem they appreciate deviant behaviors far more than honorable behaviors!

Even people who've never seen Veggie Tales know what Veggie Tales is - that's what an impact it's had!

NBC has decided to capitalize on the Christian series' popularity by running it in their Saturday morning lineup.  Only there's a hitch... of course there's a hitch. 

From AFA:

"NBC anti-Christian bigotry continues. This time NBC censored Bible verses and expressions of Christian love from the children's cartoon Veggie Tales being shown Saturday mornings on NBC.

NBC says comments such as "God made you special and He loves you very much" were offensive and censored them from the show.

In response to the outrage over the allegations that NBC was ordering the removal of any references to God and the Bible from the animated series, the network first issued a flat denial. As reported in Broadcasting & Cable, NBC said they had to "clip off the beginning and ending tags, which are Bible verses, but they were also arguably the easiest cut to make."

The creator of Veggie Tales, Phil Vischer, said NBC's excuse for censoring the Bible verses was not true. Vischer said, "Well, that's kinda funny, because as the guy required to do all the editing, I know that statement is false...The show wasn't too long, it was too Christian. The show was already cut down to the proper length, so timing had nothing to do with it."

NBC then backpeddled: "NBC is committed to the positive messages and universal values of Veggie Tales. Our goal is to reach as broad an audience as possible with these positive messages while being careful not to advocate any one religious point of view." Evidently NBC considers not being truthful as one of their "universal values."

Vischer said had he known how much censorship NBC would exercise, he would not have signed on for the network deal.

Censored were comments such as: "Calm down. The Bible says we should love our enemies." And "the Bible says Samson got his strength from God. And God can give us strength, too."

NBC says using Bible verses or referring to God is offensive to some non-Christians. But NBC doesn't hesitate to offend Christians by showing Madonna mocking the crucifixion of Christ. Neither do not mind offending Christians in their new program Studio 60 with a segment called Crazy Christians. (Please read the review.)

This will seem a strong statement, and it is: The real reason the religious content is being censored is that the networks are run by people who have an anti-Christian bias. I noticed this anti-Christian bigotry and spoke out against it over 25 years ago. I'm sorry if someone thinks that is too harsh, but I must speak the truth as God leads me to see the truth. (Please click here to read excerpts from a speech I gave to a group of TV officials in September, 1981—25 years ago.)"

I don't know the ins and outs of contracts but if I were Vischer I'd tell NBC to take the program as it is or don't air it at all. 

Answer:  A better parody than SNL or Mad TV could have ever written.

Question:  What happens when Hugo Chavez speaks at the U.N.

"Imbecilic World Politicians" for $800, please, Alex.

Answer:  Hitler's dream, the sequel.

Question:  Who is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"Imbecilic World Politicians" for $600, Alex.

Answer:  A rather grotesque, modern version of some kind of Hee-Haw.

Question:  What it would be like if President Bush took Ahmadinejad up on his offer to debate (choke, choke).

"Imbecilic World Politicians" for $400, Alex.

Answer:  This well-read intellectual puts Oprah's book club sales to shame in just one day with one mention of one book.

Question:  Who is Hugo Chavez.  (I hear his favorite book is actually "Meet My Monster" which he fully intends to push next - once they replace the blue monster on the cover with a picture of his bud Mahmoud.)

"Imbecilic World Politicians" for $200, please, Alex.

A video daily double!!!

Answer:  The fruits of a quality public education and forewarning.

Question:  What two things can the American public and future illegal immigrants gain from this spiffy new map detailing the expensive partial fence idea.

"Imbecilic World Politicians" for $300, Alex.

Answer:  This popular former president was looking rather old and ill until fresh controversy was dumped in his, ahem, lap and seemed to revive his blood flow.

Question:  Who is the man who lied to everyone in the country by staring into a camera and repeatedly saying he "did not have s*e*x*ual relations with that woman"; who is the man that now thinks we should believe anything he says; who is former president William Jefferson Clinton? 

"Imbecilic World Politicians" for $200, please, Alex.

Answer:  Dances like a giddy little school girl.

Question:   What Kim Jong-il does when everyone's attention is focused anywhere but North Korea.

Get ready for the Final Jeopardy round:

Answer:  Already the fall-guy, just in case.

(hum the think music theme.....

bomp,

bomp,

bomp.)

Question:  Who is Howard Dean.

Thank you for playing our little game.  Now a word from our sponsor.
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Minor Disclaimers:  I mean no offense to anyone who ever appeared on or was associated with Hee-Haw.  "Meet My Monster" is an actual children's book and I doubt, very seriously, that Hugo Chavez has ever read it.  I do wonder, however, if Oprah is reading Chomsky's book at this very moment.  I have actual serious thoughts regarding the hole-y fence our government wants to spend our money building.  I will discuss that in a seperate post.  My apologies to all other imbecilic world politicians who did not make the cut for this episode.  There are just so many of you from which to choose.  Perhaps you'll strive harder in the future!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1870190,00.html

Two seperate stories.

Israeli PM Olmert is prepared to meet with Palestinian Authority president Abbas.

As you scroll down that page and come to the end of that first article you'll also find:

Syria Won’t Accept European Guards, a second article.

It's been relatively quiet but it's not over!

Judge halts long-time Bible giveaway at southeastern Missouri school.

Of course the ACLU's involved.  "Eastern Missouri ACLU legal director Anthony Rothert said the injunction was "a victory for parents who want to direct the religious upbringing of their children without interference from public schools."

And of course that blanket statement is true.  The religious upbringing of children should be left to parents and definitely not public schools.  But they don't give a flip about that truly.  Their goal is to render unto Caesar.  The ACLU fails to finish the sentence.  It should be... "And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's."  Luke 20:25

From Family Research Council:

Wal-Mart's Odd Domestic Partners

Wal-Mart has announced an odd new domestic "partnership." They have teamed up with an outfit called the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. Wal-Mart has caved-in, obviously, to the pressure tactics such groups apply to large corporations. This is outrageous. Wal-Mart has made its billions by serving the needs of rural communities throughout America. It has never discriminated against homosexuals who want to purchase their products at low prices. Nor has it discriminated in hiring against homosexuals. But that is not enough. The activists demand that Wal-Mart grovel. They demand that Wal-Mart take sides in the great cultural clash over marriage. This is an affront to the millions of traditional families that patronize Wal-Mart. I wouldn't be surprised if this causes a rollback in Wal-Mart's customer base. Won't you please join me in opposing this offensive move? You can download and print the accompanying .pdf file and drop it off at the Customer Service Desk at your nearest Wal-Mart. Let them know you know what they're up to--and you don't appreciate it.

Additional Resources (downloadable flyer)
Wal-Mart's Odd Domestic Partners
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2006/08/23/business/0823wmgays.txt
Are walmart Values Family Values?

One statement from the second link above says:  "Wal-Mart didn’t issue a news release about its partnership with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, leaving it to the chamber to publish the news at its Web site Monday."

I'm pretty sure I know the reason why walmart left it to their new partner to put the word out!  They know from the get-go what the reaction to this news is going to be.

Also from the same article:  "Wal-Mart spokesman Bob McAdam in a telephone interview with The Morning News downplayed any controversy over the issue.

Marketing is the act of trying to sell something to you - whether it's a tangible product or an idea.  Whether product or idea the intent is to take something from you - your money or your personal viewpoint.

Marketing in news media intends to sway your view on a topic.  Once you believe and perpetuate the ideas they've presented, and perhaps abandoned your previous view, they've succeeded in selling to you.  I truly believe it used to be different.  It used to be that news media actually just presented the news to inform.  My only synical guess is that in this age informing the public of events is secondary to ratings and market shares and money.

Photo Fraud in Lebanon

There's only one true source that will guide us without malicious intent.  God.  There's no time like the present to don our study caps and get into the Word, perfect our prayerful conversation, and follow the lead of His Holy Spirit!