Hot In the Hot Tub!

Wow, it looks earth hit record temperatures in 2005! Is it Global Warming? A Heat Wave? Liberal Conspiracy?

The real question...How in the double heck do these folks know that this is hottest the earth has ever been? They state that this is the hottest the earth has been since they started taking the temperature of the earth in the late 1800's. I'm sorry but weren't these folks crapping in outhouses in the 1800's? Running water? Electricity? Micro-Evolution? Weren't the hustlers, women of the night, and the 8 year old kid who cut his toe on the plow share dying of infection because they didn't know that little micro-organinisms were destroying them from the inside?

And we are supposed to believe that they could take the core temperature of the earth?

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyid=2006-01-24T230108Z_01_N24226172_RTRUKOC_0_US-ENVIRONMENT-WARMING.xml&rpc=22

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

We watched the classic film "Mr Smith Goes to Washington" in one of my classes today. I had heard a lot about this film and had always wanted to see it, and today I got my chance.

This film was incredible, and I will tell you why. It is a timeless film, especially during this time when we are learning about corrupt senators associated with Abramoff, and defense contractors, etc. This film is as valid today as it was back in 1939 when it was made. It makes one realize that that perfect, honest idealogue that goes into the black hole known as Washington D.C., becomes corrupt and falls into the money trap. There is a great scene in the film where Jimmy Stewart's character is listening to a veteran senator explain why it is he did what he did. He explains that there has to be compromise in bills brought before the senate, and how things work on the senate floor. It was very telling, and depressing. This is sort of an expose on how things really work in Washington.

Anyway, if you all havent seen it, then put it in your Netflix queue, or go to your local video store and rent it, you wont be sorry.

Reaganomics Revisited

"It is no coincidence that our present troubles parallel and are proportionate to the intervention and intrusion in our lives that result from unnecessary and excessive growth of government." -Ronald Reagan

Twenty-five years ago today, Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as the 40th President of the United States. The following piece takes a look at what Reagan accomplished in his tenure, and how his views on government and economics changed the mindset and practice of many Republicans. The opening statement was from his inaugural address. Sounds like something that could be said today, doesn't it?

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110007843

Are Public Schools Cheating Children....and Parents?

Here is yet another post that hits the core of many of our previous arguments, The role of government. In this case, What is the role of government when it comes to education? John Stossel brings up some good points in the following commentaries about competition, privatization, the contrast between education in Europe and the United States, and even uses a local example, the Kansas City, MO school district, to prove his point. I have an inkling that CitizenSaint wants to delve more deeply into this topic, so I will just post these two articles and watch the sparks fly. Enjoy...

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/Commentary/com-1_18_06_JS.html

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/Commentary/com-1_11_06_JS.html

Glenn Beck

A mormon pundit is getting his own show on CNN.

Corruption at the Federal Level

Whay say ye armchair pundits, over the Abramoff scandal?

He has been linked to DeLay, Bob Ney, and others. We have been talking in this blog about the corruption that money and power bring to politics; this is just one example that illustrates our arguments. Stories like this make me wonder how our elected officials will ever regain the public trust. Its no wonder no one shows up to vote every four years, we don't trust the people we would elect. Is this why the "constitution will be hanging by a thread," thus the elders of the church come to save the government? Is this one of many reasons why the church will come to the rescue? Will we see more and more LDS men and women in elected positions over the coming years; I think those are the only candidates we could surely trust.