The answer, sadly, is yes.  As you will see in the story linked below, a teen in Lebanon was chained to his bed and starved, and the best charge they could come up with for his parents was aggravated child “neglect”, which resulted in 6 years in prison each.  The stepmother was released in less than 2 years.

Witness State Senator Roy Herron, trying to gain support for the idea that non-religious Bible classes have a place in public school.

I am torn between screaming from frustration and screaming in laughter.  Maybe I’ll just sit here and roll my eyes instead.

(Read the story at http://www.tricities.com/tristate/tri/news.apx.-content-articles-TRI-2008-04-23-0023.html)

The State attorney general has put the seal of approval on Bible classes as long as they do not endorse any particular religion. 
(Roll eyes here).

Evidently they want to teach the Bible’s impact on literature, art and politics in these classes.  Actually, if THAT is all they want, those aspects of the Bible’s influence are already addressed in art class, English literature, and political science.  So a specific class that addresses the non-religious aspects of the Bible without endorsing Christianity (roll here) are not needed, in addition to being completely ridiculous.

So what is Herron trying to accomplish?  Is there really NOTHING else to work on in our public schools?  Really? (Big fat eye roll here)

$5 a gallon isn’t minor.  Especially for folks like me who spend a lot of time on the road.  But a car is not something we can do without.  We may slow down on the highway to save gas (I have).  We can try to consolidate short trips from 3 or 4 into one.  (I have) We can carpool when possible (for many like myself, that just isn’t practical or, often, possible).  We might try coasting to a stop when reasonable and not punching the gas, but instead building speed gradually (I’m working on it.)

But these are minor actions that do not do a whole lot to help this major problem.  It’s like bailing water out of your sinking boat with a teaspoon.  It’s better than nothing, but not by much.

Who will ultimately win the Democratic nomination for President is as much of interest to conservatives as to liberals, since McCain’s ultimate success in HIS bid depends on the outcome.  That, however, is the last point we conservatives agree upon.  There seems to be a heartfelt disagreement over whether Hillary or Obama – or either – will be beatable in November. 

They say a mere squeaker of win for Clinton today won’t be enough – that her win must be substantial in order to truly catch up to Obama.  Personally I think that is what will happen – that she’ll win in a fairly big way.  There it is.  I’ve made an official prediction.  Hate doing that.  Ah, well.

Obama has been shooting himself in the foot quite a bit lately.  I still do not think he grasps the importance of things like his association with Rev. Wright, or that little slip he made about we “bitter” conservatives holding our guns close and our God closer out of sheer anger and frustration.  (Geez, what WAS he thinking?) Even the little flag pin spat or refusing to say the pledge – he just doesn’t get it, that these things add up and ultimately DO matter.

He pooh-poohs things like this, saying it is the issues that matter, the issues that he wants to discuss, the issues, the issues, the isssues.

He doesn’t get that things like character and loyalty and honesty DO matter and ARE at issue, to liberals and conservatives alike.  Why would we trust our country and our futures to someone who does not rate those qualities as important?  I’m not saying Obama is a bad person.  I’m saying that the fact that he seems to want to brush off our concerns about the character of a potential President is disturbing.

I just saw Hillary’s newest television ad – ooh, scary.  She evoked images from Bin Laden to the bombing of Pearl Harbor, from 70s gas lines to creepy Cold War Russian leaders.  I’m kind of surprised she didn’t include a clip from the movie Carrie.  Fox News ran a clip of Hillary in the 2006 Senate race, when she called Republican scare tactics “disappointing”.  Whoops.
I’ll be checking in throughout the day as things unfold.  Hope you will as well…
jody lee

Okay.  I’m game.  Racial prejudice is despicable and intolerable.  So let’s see where we stand. 

Specifically, what would you have us – the country, that is – do to improve race relations?  Again, specifically - -

While you are thinking, keep in mind that laws are in place that make discrimination in housing, in the workplace, and in service institutions illegal.  Should someone be on the receiving end of this illegal discrimination, there are a host of programs in place through which the discriminatee can obtain free legal representation. 

We have a myriad of government programs in place to assist persons who are not Caucasian in attaining grants for college.  Our learning institutions and work places are not simply encouraged, but required by the EEO to hire/admit a particular number of non-Caucasians. 

Bill Clinton wrote a letter to Hillary supporters this week, sent via email, asking for money for her campaign.  (http://newsmax.com/insidecover/Bill_Clinton_Hillary/2008/03/29/84070.html)
Take a look at the text of the letter, then you tell me – doesn’t it smell just a tad desperate?  Maybe a little whiney?

Politicians – not to mention the media – can smell fear.  And although that is the last thing Bill wanted to convey in this email, that may indeed be the unintended result.

Not that it matters.  Simply by virtue of the fact that she is a Clinton, it is hard to imagine that she will drop out of the race, regardless of the fact that the unthinkable has happened – the media has deserted her in favor of their new pet, Obama.  I think those who are writing her candidacy off at this point are being a little too hasty. 

There are some other things in the Democratic race for the nomination that smell funny as well.  Take a deep breath and read on…

Frozen Chickens Halt Traffic On Interstate 40 In Jefferson County
You gotta love a headline like that.
Great chicken pics: http://www.whydidthechickencrosstheroad.com/images.htm

BUT READERS TOOK IT IN ANOTHER DIRECTION, WHICH IS FINE BY ME:

I’m just gonna ramble a little, inspired by the fact that on Wednesday of this week, State House Speaker (why? someone tell me why??) Naifeh cast the deciding “no” vote (in subcommittee) on three separate bills that would have allowed Tennesseans with carry permits to take their handgun into bars, state parks and college campuses.

Later Naifeh pointed to a letter from the Tennessee Public Safety Coalition, a group made up of sheriffs, police chiefs and district attorneys general, saying current laws should not be altered.

One legislator pointed out “If we trust them to carry it at Wal-Mart, why not at our state parks?”

When they spoke of problems with the health care situation in the country, they urged the viewer (that’s me) to write my Senators and Congressmen and tell them to DO SOMETHING about the health care problems.

What?, I shouted in return.  Something is messed up so you want me to ask the GOVERNMENT to fix it??  Are you insane?

The tv did not reply.  It just moved on to another ad.

I, on the other hand, was just getting started.

“Don’t you ignore me”, I railed.  “You’re right about ONE thing.  Divided we WILL fail, so it’s about time everybody get on board the SANITY train and stay on track!

When has the government ever FIXED a financial problem and not just made it worse with its (the government’s) big clumsy hands?  When are people going to realize it is NOT the government’s place to FIX this, and that only free enterprise can correct the healthcare situation? 

And:
“It would appear that alot of this discussion boils down to how you view the role of your minister/priest/pastor in your life…
…If he said or believed something that I felt was in strong and direct contrast to the moral guidelines found in the Bible and in my heart, I could and would no longer attend his church, because he could no longer fill the role I described - the role that, in my opinion, every minister/priest/pastor has…Is it just me who looks to the leader of their church to fill this role?”

Then YOU responded with:  I find it odd that one would even attempt to judge a candidate by who their pastor is.”
And “For B.O. to say how proud he is of his minister should concern us all.”
And “Obama will not denounce these racist bigots. That is his business but as candidate for president that is a legit issue.” (True, until last weekend.)

Now here we are, watching O’Bama implode before our very eyes and ears over this very issue.
Very interesting, albeit late.  We saw this one coming.

Read more…