Recent Blog Posts: Tehachapi News

Bush Cult Worship of Mammon Posing As God

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 17:02:04 PDT

This nation consumes the majority of the worlds resources even though we are only 5% of the worlds population. We spend more than every other nation combined for military might. To have an "enemy" is essential for this particular cult machine to prosper.

Most of the world considers money as a medium of exchange, a manmade tool of commerce. American culture considers money as the "message", bastardizing the golden rule to mean "he who has the gold, makes the rules". How many other nations have placed the name of God on their currency? Our social consciousness has devolved to the point where wealth is the primary standard by which we collectively judge holiness. Witness the media interest in Paris Hilton versus the right wing neccessity to divert attention from the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of innocent women and children in Iraq.

Every democratically elected world leader we have overthrown in favor of dictators who will do the bidding of the ruling class owners of America (the 1%) is not unknown to the rest of the world. The millions of women and children we have murdered by proxy in the name of profit is only a secret to Americans. We only fool ourselves by presuming moral authority while simultaneously ridding ourselves of the burden of proof and lowering, if not eliminating altogether, the standards of human morality and decency.

Those personal virtues of honor, integrity, truth, courage, reason, and wisdom have become nothing more than platitudes in this country. Witness the culture of “if you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’”, the (s)election of a craven coward of low moral degree to (mis)lead this nation into a war for profit for his cronies.

Witness the incredible stupidity and ignorance of his followers who think the dictator (or decider) “listens to god” (mammon), even though he has admitted that profit trumps peace. God dwells in the soul of every human being on the planet. There are only two choices in that matter; acknowledgement or denial. The right wing heretics who call themselves christian as they worship mammon, live in a dark closet of denial and have rejected God as they have rejected their humanity.

This corrupt Bush cult has systematically eroded our Constitution, subverted our system of justice, dishonored our nation, and pitted the humanity of the entire planet against us for the sake of their god (money).

The most frightening aspect of all of this is that it did not occur overnight. This plan for a “New World Order” did not originate with this petulant, pampered, pusillanimous, prince of privilege. Tinkerbelle was (s)elected by those movers and shakers of capitalism whom the CIA actually serves, precisely because of his incurious intellect and total lack of conscience. Placing Gods name on our currency began the transformation of the true God into Mammon, but the plan of the parasites began many years before even that particular heresy.

Those same forces now use their ownership of the American mind to get the still slumbering to clap if they believe in fairies. Sadly, it is those who fear freedom in its most fundamental form who perpetuate a climate of fear, suspicion, hatred, guilt, greed, and wars for profit.

This “shadow” government has a “shadow” army of mercenaries like Blackwater, Custer-Battles and others who are poised to march at gunpoint, a once proud and moral nation through the gates of totalitarianism hell to further their aim of total world domination.

The face of this beast is not coming out of the shadows; rather, the light of truth is shining upon them. The raw ugly face of the evil that is the GOP Fourth Reich is being revealed as the awakening of their war on America continues.

When ghosts are your friends

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 15:05:10 PDT

Many of us had imaginary friends when we were children, and many of us had a favorite doll or stuffed animal as in “Calvin and Hobbes,” some of us had several, with whom we would carry on conversations. Some of us would talk to a favorite pet, and many carry this into adulthood. The old maid talks to her pet cat, and so do the old fellows like me. In my case, I have found the resident cat to be without conversational skill; nevertheless I still speak to it, and when I look at her and ask “Feed the cat?” I do get a positive response, a soft “meow.” However, that’s as far as any dialogue with the cat goes.

Few of us have the good fortune of a “Harvey” as a companion, and most of us quite reasonably have our doubts about those adults claiming to have the benefits of an invisible companion. And while there are innumerable claims for “manifestations” of ghosts, I have yet to see one. I have a real ambivalence about this, not being quite certain I really want or do not want to be the beneficiary such a manifestation. While I believe I live with ghosts, I haven’t any idea if this is true, or, for that matter, just what form my departed loved ones and friends have taken since their departure.

The realities of life are difficult to deal with, and at times some of us need our invisible friends. It is a reality that counterfeiting is such a problem many businesses will not accept one-hundred dollar bills in order to lessen the loss. Document fraud and identity theft are real and ugly, growing realities. I think I can be forgiven for times when I believe the cat understands these things better than those in our government.

So I consider the ghosts of my loved ones and friends to be understanding of me. It is my belief they know me thoroughly in a way not possible to our loved ones and friends still inhabiting mortal bodies. And oftentimes I have been prevented from doing something wrong not because I fear God may be there waiting to punish me either now or later at some assize, but because I have loved ones I do not want to hurt. In most ways, I suppose this a better rule for moral behavior than any system of religion.

Existentially Emerson might have been correct, but perhaps the world is only a stage and all of us only players upon that stage? Perhaps nothing is real except my own mind, this fire of life in a mortal body that transcribes everything and everyone I see from phantasmagoria to my perception of reality? This much I believe; for too many life is a living hell on earth, a seeming lunatic asylum with the chief lunatics running the asylum, an asylum where evil seems to predominate and there is room for believing the “Monsters of the Id” are more than the stuff of SciFi, and only occasionally do the better angels of humankind prevail.

I am not going to judge those who believe “The play’s the thing.” But I do wonder what is it that compels some to strive to play a role of fantasy? Do they live such fantasies in their own minds? Psychologists and psychiatrists, our contemporary witch doctors and shamans, expend enormous amounts of time “explaining” the attraction of stage and film to so many wishing to play a role. And it is not always out of the desire for fame and fortune, not even the desire for attention but sometimes the need is to simply escape from reality.

It is quite normal for children to engage in fantasies just as the children in “To Kill A Mockingbird” made up a game about Boo Radley, acting out parts of the story they had invented about this neighborhood boogeyman. But as the Apostle Paul pointed out, when he was a child he thought, acted and spoke as a child, but when he became a man he put away childish things. And I suppose most of understand the difference between childishness and being a child. Paul did not intend a discourse on the fantasies of children carried into the realm of adulthood and was fully knowledgeable of the Greek and Roman stage given to much more than fantasies, and none would disagree the world would be impoverished without Shakespeare; and few would want to give up the marvelous fantasies of Hollywood like the great musicals. But in looking at last year’s crop of Oscar nominees it seemed Hollywood has painted itself into a corner, and having been raised on the great films of time past I cannot but feel a certain sad melancholy about the low estate to which this great American institution has fallen.

Children like Scout, Jem, and Dill enjoy the “theater” they invent for themselves, they enjoy a lively imagination in which all things are possible, things of fairy tales and magic come to life. The world would be a dreary place without the laughter and imagination of children giving life to the fairy tales and magic properly the domain of childhood. Still, as Paul pointed out there is a difference between those things the proper domain of childhood and childishness. We want children to be children, we want adults to be adults. Where Hollywood has departed from being a great American institution is in becoming “childish.” In too many ways what Hollywood has engaged in is throwing childish tantrums, demanding attention be given the demands of the spoiled brat, the kind of child no one wants around them.

The result of this spoiled brat and its tantrums is people staying away from theaters in droves. There is no more “Here’s lookin’ at you kid,” no more “bright, golden haze on the meadow,” but a self-absorbed, spoiled brat demanding attention be given its childish version of “reality.” And it seems the MSM is fixated on a very shallow celebrity rather than hard news. It is almost as though the realities have become so monumentally bad the MSM simply cannot cope with them.

This reminds me of the book of Job in the Old Testament, which is thought by some to be the most ancient text in the OT, dealing with issues from the most distant past of human history. It is from this ancient story we have the thought Jesus emphasized that Satan holds dominion over the kingdoms of the world, but that his rule is doomed in the end to failure. This is cold comfort to those like abused, tortured and murdered children, to the innocent suffering from the wars of men. But there is little from Hollywood about this story of Job, except in passing. And I doubt there will be a musical version of the story.

What drew Americans to the Silver Screen in time past, what made Hollywood successful was largely the desire to escape the ugly realities of life. As an art form, Hollywood used to give us that kind of escape from ugly realties. We had the great books delving into the dark side of humankind, but it didn’t take Hollywood long to explore this as well. But the advantage of a book is being able to lay it aside and come back to it in our own time. And while Hollywood has produced acclaimed “masterpieces” delving into the dark side, it is those great films in which virtue prevails, in which there is great beauty and hope lifting people up from their often lives of quiet desperation, too often lives lived with ugly realities from which the Silver Screen granted some respite and surcease of sorrows that made Hollywood an American institution, and I miss that Hollywood.

Whatever the “reality,” I believe the ghosts of my loved ones and friends gone on before me understand. I believe their “angels” know my thoughts, I believe we have spiritual communion though I neither see nor hear them. I find comfort in believing this, and while far from original thinking, but quite the contrary, my most fervent hope is to rejoin these loved ones and friends when I pass away. I can only hope in the words of Scripture that if this happens “all tears will be wiped away.”

Child Safety

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 11:46:21 PDT

Yesterday, Sunday July 22 at 3:30 p.m. my son came into my house and parked his bike underneath the front window of my house. This bike was not visable from the street. In under 1 minute, someone jumped my fence stole the bike and was gone. The bike is not the issue, my children were followed and/or watched. I ran out my front door right away and the car which is an older white sedan, was already turning the corner on So. Green Street. The bike was visible from the trunk, with yellow cords tying down the trunk lid. These people knew what they were doing and the manner in which to do it. What if my child had not come home at that time. Were these theives willing to harm a child for this bmx bike? Please be aware, and have your children be aware of their surroundings, if they are being followed. This happened on Brentwood Drive. The Tehachapi Police Dept. responded very quickly, and were very helpful. Thank you Officer Ketchum. The bike is an Eastern Element, white handlebars, black frame with Eastern Element written on it, white pedals, handle grips with spade shapes on the ends and dice stem covers. I really don't care about the bike, but if anyone spots it, please contact the Tehachapi Police Dept. I want these people arrested, for stalking my children. I will be looking into this everyday and following any tips that we may receive. We have to protect our children from such vile animals. We live in a small town, and it angers me that someone is so brazen to do this in such a manner. Thank you.

What's the procedure?

Sat, 21 Jul 2007 21:36:59 PDT

If you live outside the Tehachapi city limits - Stallion Springs, Bear Valley Springs, Golden Hills, Alpine Forest - can you petition the City? Vote for City officials? Vote on City bonds, etc?

We've owned property here for 12 years but moved here full time a couple years ago and I just don't know. I know, how sad.

Some one enlighted me, please.

Wal-Mart

Sat, 21 Jul 2007 21:31:01 PDT

Been really thinking about the coming Wal-Mart. I have real twisted feelings.

First, I'm not exactly sure what part of Historic Downtown Tehachapi we are trying to protect. We have about 3 square blocks starting at the Marketplace and ending around the Apple Shed and then moving west from Tehachapi Blvd to about "E" Street. The rest of that area represents a lot of pretty run down looking businesses, empty lots, strip malls with absolutely no "old town" style and facing all caddy wombus, and don't even get me started on the Benz garbage piles - yeah, along Tehachapi Blvd and a real welcome to people passing via 58. So, what style are we desparate to maintain?

We have a lot of out-of-town company. I proudly take them over to the bakery, or breakfast at the Apple Shed, down Robinson and Green and into some of the shops and art gallery on the corner of Tehachapi Blvd. and Green. That's it. We go up to the loop and hope for a train. We drive over to the ostrich farm - that's pretty cool. So, if you want to get your nails done - you have so many choices it will make you dizzy. But - should you want to purchase a pretty dress ..... I mean, I try hard to shop in Tehachapi. But you have to work at it. So, the shopping isn't great and the old town look is limited to our 3 square blocks.

What horror will Wal-Mart do to the shopping and the look?

But, of course, Wal-Mart is one big ugly store. Especially with a hugh parking lot out front. Whose gonna say different? But, ya know, that's Albertsons and Rite-Aid/Save Mart, etc. I'm not hearing any outcry over those shopping centers. Why the City didn't encourage the Wal-Mart people to buy land on the east side of the tracks (like Home Depot) or even on the other side of the freeway (like Holiday Inn) that's anyone's guess.

I read some articles about Wal-Mart and in many cities they have done some major "remodeling" from their standard look. Put the parking lot in the rear, designed the store front so that it looked kinda like multiple office buildings, set some land aside for grass and trees.

Is it possible to get a movement together; put pressure on our city representatives, and they in turn put some pressure on Wal-Mart to consider doing in Tehachapi what they did in Mississippi and other Gulf Coast areas?

I think we have to be realistic about progress. And we also should understand that our city officials LOVE strip malls and honestly, don't you dare tell me there is some kind of "plan." Unless of course the plan is to have growth that is erratic and hodge-podge. So Wal-Mart is coming .... can we make it a little attractive?

Only In America

Sat, 21 Jul 2007 19:54:15 PDT

Things Found Only in America
1. Only in America......can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance.
2. Only in America......are there handicap parking places in front of a skating rink.
3. Only in America......do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.
4. Only in America......do people order double cheese burgers, large fries, and a diet Coke.
5. Only in America......do banks leave both doors to the vault open and then chain the pens to the counters.
6. Only in America......do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.
7. Only in America......do we use answering machines to screen calls and then have call waiting so we won't miss a call from someone we didn't want to talk to in the first place.
8. Only in America......do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.
9. Only in America......do we use the word 'politics' to describe the process so well: Poli' in Latin meaning 'many' and 'tics' meaning 'bloodsucking creatures'.
10. Only in America......do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering

Marijuana: The real cash crop of Kern County?

Sat, 21 Jul 2007 12:20:55 PDT

People have every right to envy those of us able to live here in the Kern River Valley. Clean air and water, no pollution or heavy traffic, all the amenities close at hand. Surrounded by beautiful mountains, the Kern River flowing from up north into Isabella Lake where the fishing is terrific, and beautiful, pristine trout streams like Bull Run Creek nearby. Adding to the attraction is the lack of graffiti and no gang warfare over drug turf.

But recalling the area before the lake went in when the Kern River flowed unrestricted through the valley, when Isabella had a population of about 35 and Kernville 115, when the whole of the Sequoia National Forest was my personal area to explore, hunt, and fish hardly ever seeing another person was living a life as a boy that now seems a fairy tale. At that, despite the small population at the time there were enough characters out of Peyton Place and those like the “mad scientist” of Isabella to make social life interesting, and the local gossip was more therapeutic than malicious, akin to the communal washdays and quilting parties I recall from my childhood in Little Oklahoma, southeast Bakersfield.

However, there is a looming disaster here in “Paradise.” In the beautiful Sequoia National Forest portion of Kern County the marijuana plantations are threatening the peace and quiet of this part of the world. Recently: “About 11 remote growing areas were found during an aerial search of public lands in the Sequoia National Forest; in fact the entire operation had to be by helicopter. In a 2 day mission The Major Violators Unit of the Kern County Sheriff’s Department hauled more than $100,000,000 worth and almost 45,000 pounds of marijuana out of the Kern County mountains. The operation was so large, the Sheriff was assisted by Bakersfield Police, Bureau of Land Management, US Forestry and a Department of Justice task force called CAMP, the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting. Neil Cuthbert is with the California Department of Justice and part of the CAMP task force, he says they make every effort to closely integrate the marijuana eradication with their investigations. He says the job can also be very dangerous, from 1994 he says there has been at least one shooting a year during a marijuana raid.”

While there can be no doubt the Mexican drug cartels are behind this foreign invasion and assault on our national forest, neither is there any doubt such a thing could not possibly be done without the cooperation of our own state and federal government, despite the claims of some in government agencies. For years I have advocated for the legalization of marijuana, and the continued opposition to this from state and federal government means there are too many politicians bought from the profits of keeping it illegal. It comes down to the comparison between organized crime and our government operating from the same motive of profits. Invariably you will find “cooperation” between the two when it suits their profit motive, as in the government giving amnesty to drug smugglers for their testimony against border patrol agents attempting to do their jobs. This is no different than the tyranny of Bush treating the Oval Office as his throne from which he issues edicts designed to protect the rich and powerful.

But political correctness denies We the People a voice. To even mention illegal aliens are a problem is to be denounced by a few with screaming voices attempting to drown out reason with shouts of “Racist!” This is nothing less than sinister. When you find the same people damning Bush while supporting illegal aliens you know there is something sinister at the basis of this.

The fact that a relatively minuscule number of illegal aliens finds so many of the rich and powerful supporting them has to have some sinister motive, much in the way of counterfeiting. Just the other day, a friend sent me an article he had written on economics in which he used a quote from me back in 1960: “If you planned to print up a batch of counterfeit money, you wouldn’t print triangular bills on orange paper with a picture of Bob Hope on the front.”

While I had said this in regard to the various sects and cults masquerading as being “Christian,” he went on at length using the quote to elaborate on his theme of economic philosophy. But I was surprised that I recalled what I had said in 1960 as though it were only a short time ago; a seeming characteristic of advanced years.

Those supporting this illegal invasion from Mexico are only counterfeits of real Americans. But the very same people so quick to denounce Bush and his administration while supporting illegal aliens seem not to notice their hypocrisy. Illegal aliens have never had more support from any president in our history. And for those damning Bush while at the same time supporting the illegal invasion of America by Mexico at taxpayer expense is to say the least extraordinary, if not hypocritical. But they remain counterfeit Americans, to paraphrase Theodore Roosevelt, not the real thing. And as Jesus pointed out, Satan is not divided against himself else his house would fall. But not a few dupes seem complicit in Bush’s (the Devil’s?) tyrannical work, attempting to deny Americans have any rights as citizens of a sovereign nation to our heritage, culture, language, and secure borders. In the meantime, the phony “war on drugs” will continue while politicians and their corporate masters reap the profits, here in Kern County and elsewhere.

Now for those of you who continue to want to explore the glory and grandeur of our national forest here in Kern County, the pristine trout streams and other wonders our county has to offer be sure you go well-armed. It is no longer the bears and mountain lions you must be prepared for, but the marijuana “farmers.” And I will continue to enjoy the rare privilege of living where the water and air are clean, where there is no graffiti, drive-bys or gang warfare over drug turf. Don’t you folks in the “big city” wish you could have it so good? Don’t you wonder why you can’t?

New stop sign

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 14:16:37 PDT

The new stop sign at highline and Tucker is great!!

Crazy TV commercials

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 13:01:26 PDT

So I was sitting there last night, looking at the "Head On" commercial for what feels like the 4,183rd time. They must be selling some of that stuff, otherwise they would have run out of marketing money a long time ago.

Anyway, it got me thinking about all of the ads and infomercials people see every day. Have you ever decided to buy something after seeing commercials for it over and over again? Bonus points if you bought something you never saw in real life, just from the way it looked or worked in the ad.

Man eats Snake Part Two

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 14:52:15 PDT

http://www.turnto23.com/new...

I just saw the above link and as a person who believes in fairness I had to post it. If the comments that the man, Brent Scheibel said are true, then I owe him an apology. I would also have to say that I am very disappointed in the way the Bakersfield Californian posted the news without confirming if the snake was dead or alive. As I have said from the beganning, killing the snake did not bother me, but skining and biting it alive was the issue.

Brent, If you do see this, please email me through my profile. I would like to get a better understand of how the events took place.

Sam's Suspicious Death

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 14:20:15 PDT

So my question would be to the law enforcement involved...will you just brush Sam's "suspicious" death under the rug, because he had a record,was homeless and an addict? Will it be less important to you that he wasnt an "upstanding" citizen or someone of importance to the community? I do believe that even if the "law enforcement" will represent on the outside that they are doing their best to solve this crime, if in fact it is a crime. But i believe that if Sam was someone who lived a better lifestyle, KCSD and TPD would work around the clock to solve this. Unlike the double homicide that took place a few years ago, or the murder of that woman in the middle of the day, those were swept under the rug. I mean you dont even see any news follow ups to try and revitalize any clues or information to help solve those crimes. And the comment before mine...i agree, most of the people who complain are lawbreakers, i am one of those who was a lawbreaker...just like Sam. I know for a fact that law enforcement treat people who are addicts like complete TRASH. I am clean 3 years now...thank God, but I am human now and i was human then. I hope the KCSD NEVER have any children that fall into the life of addiction...I would hate for them to treat their own children like GARBAGE..(oh...nevermind...they would receive special treatment) I have heard KCSD snicker and crack jokes and make fun of people who have been arrested...its really not funny. Its humiliating enough to be in that situation as it is. I have also been in court proceedings and watched KCSD and Child protective service rep, LIE UNDER OATH to gain a conviction. Not to say that ALL law enforcement officers are like that...but I know of a few that dehumanize people for a lively hood.

CITY COFFERS FULL OF MONEY!

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 06:26:50 PDT

Tehachapi City coffers awash with money!

At last Monday’s City Council meeting a concerned citizen stated that the City Attorney, Thomas Schroeter, who has a 2,000 sq. foot office (bigger than my house) in Bakersfield, is also retained by certain other (not named) cities as their City Attorney as well. He is paid an hourly rate which he has recently lowered by $20.00 per hour in order to receive a full retirement package from the City of Tehachapi. The exact amount of this retirement package was not stated, but it would be nice to know.

According to Mr. Schroeter, when asked, the city’s retirement act was amended in 1993 to allow City Attorneys to receive this benefit if the City was willing! Evidently they were. Even though he is not a City employee, if Mr. Schroeter is involved in an injury accident or has any disabling event while conducting City business, he may be entitled to a disability retirement. When he dies, his wife will continue to receive 50% of his benefits. Should he have a non-job related heart attack or otherwise be disabled he will be eligible for a lesser non job related retirement. Not bad. I wish I had such a deal.

The citizen then posed the question of why our City should take on the burden of providing retirement benefits to a very successful Bakersfield attorney who is not even a City employee and why did the City Council think this was such a great idea for the best interests of the citizens of Tehachapi? The Council is mulling this over.

But then, if the City can willy-nilly give away a $5,000.00 grant, at the request of Phil Wyman, for someone to teach an Indian basket weaving class (and then charge the students $240.00 each for the course) and no one even steps forward to take this class, what happens to that money?

Apparently, the City of Tehachapi has so much money they can freely spend it like John Edwards in a beauty shop!

Jim Richards

Too much salt ruins the savor of the dish

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 16:48:08 PDT

When it comes to odd couples, the relationship between Benjamin Franklin and George Whitefield immediately comes to mind. In Franklin we find the preeminent pragmatist, and in Whitefield the preeminent religionist. Despite the seeming contradiction, Franklin did recognize the need for the social function of religion in society. But he would not be brought under the sway of any religious system of belief. However, Franklin and Whitefield were great friends and when the evangelist wrote Franklin of an impending visit, Franklin responded offering the hospitality of his own home to Whitefield. The evangelist in turn wrote Franklin a warm letter of thanks and acceptance “in the name of Jesus.” Franklin immediately replied that his offer of hospitality was not in the name of Jesus, but in the name of friendship.

During my years of theological studies and preaching, this story about Franklin and Whitefield would sometimes come to mind as I would reflect on Franklin’s refusal to accommodate his friend’s attempt to obligate Franklin in the name of Jesus. But to give due credit to Franklin for his wisdom one must also give him credit for making the distinction between what is done in the name of religion, and what is done simply out of a good heart. It is a distinction many of those holding firm religious beliefs are too often either unable or unwilling to make.

It isn’t a system whether religious or political that determines if a person is good or bad; it is as the ancient Egyptians and others concluded the “weighing of the heart” that determines this. Willy Wonka’s machine determined whether the egg was good or bad, and calling someone a good or bad egg though antiquated does express the truth of the matter. So no matter what the beliefs, is the person’s heart right or not, are they a good or bad egg is what really counts. Oh, well, we all know this don’t we. So what’s the point?

If a relationship is only a matter of shared beliefs rather than one of the heart it is doomed, and will undoubtedly be betrayed. While we think of Judas betraying Jesus for money, eventually it was his heart that condemned him so that he went out and hanged himself because he had betrayed the innocent. Some see this as an act of repentance, of contrition and expiation in which Judas found redemption, but only at the price of his own life; blood for blood.

But do even the good eggs, those with a good heart need reminding of what is right and what is wrong? I think so. I have a large sign in front of my place declaring in large capital letters: IT SHOULDN’T HURT TO BE A CHILD! Does any good person need reminding of such a thing? Yes. Several good people have taken the trouble to stop by and thank me for this reminder, sharing with me such a reminder has caused them to stop and think before lashing out in anger at one of their children. It was while discussing this with an elderly friend, an agnostic Jew who had lived through Hitler’s Germany I asked her whether it might have helped for the good people at the time to have signs in their windows “It shouldn’t hurt to be a Jew,” if this might have made a difference? She thought for a moment then answered, “By the time it might have helped it was too late. Besides, apart from the professions Jews stayed pretty much to themselves. We have often made ourselves targets of prejudice by refusing to assimilate, and this made its own contribution to the disaster of Hitler.”

It’s a story as old as human history, “When in Rome...,” but one that continues to be as true today as it ever was; and no amount of touted “cultural diversity” well lessen the truth of the matter. A pinch of this and a dash of that might lend flavor, but no one will eat a dish consisting only of mixed spices, each making its own demands for attention from the palate. The best chefs know what dishes require what spices, but will never allow the spices to overcome the meal. Like too much salt, when the spices become more than enhancing the dish is ruined notwithstanding the distinction Jesus made.

Where is the “meal” in “Press one for English,” ballots printed in foreign tongues, welfare for illegal aliens and their burden to schools, law enforcement, jails, prisons, unsecured borders inviting terrorism? We the People are being force-fed Spanish as though this were a spice, something the proponents of slave labor and open borders tout as a flavor enhancing ingredient rather than something that is ruining the whole dish. The English language has more than enough variety to enhance any “meal” without need of condiments, though the occasional foreign word or phrase may not be out of place. Don’t let the pretenders to knowledge in any way denigrate English unless they are equally willing and qualified to denounce Shakespeare as an unabashed “plagiarist.”

The lunacy of the situation is allowing the proponents of this illegal invasion from Mexico acting as though every illegal alien that makes it into America has the same rights and privileges as We the People! Let these lunatics go to Mexico and make the same demands there as illegal aliens before hypocritically pretending to be “preachers of righteousness.” This is not a question of whether the invaders, which by definition they are in fact, are good or bad people. It is a question of whether any nation can continue to follow the path our leaders are taking America and survive as a sovereign nation. Logic dictates these same people agitating for illegal aliens and Spanish would declare me a “bad egg” if I was a Mexican living in that nation and demanding foreigners wanting to live there learn Spanish.

It is wrong for our leaders to ignore the great majority of Americans for the sake of slave labor and profits. But unlike good people who only require a reminder once in a while, our leaders are determined to ignore all reminders of what is right and what is wrong. However, this is all a moot point since our leadership cannot even track legal visa holders, has no idea of where millions of foreigners are legal and illegal, and it would seem only that terrorist nuclear bomb going off at LAX or in DC will prompt the required action by our government. Even now as I write we are being told that was a steam pipe explosion in NYC. But was it? Well, whatever the truth, unlike the Warren and 9/11 Commissions there will be no hiding a terrorist nuclear explosion.

Should that bomb go off my continued fear is that like Hitler’s Germany the pendulum will swing far, far to the other extreme. And in that case, no amount of Constitutional “adjustments” will save the millions that overnight will become hunted and rounded up in America. And unlike religion which is a matter of beliefs, it will be America’s survival as a nation that will determine the action taken, there will be no questions about the rights of individuals, no habeas corpus, no asking for translators and interpreters, the only question will be one of survival. There is too much truth to Thoreau’s observation the civilized man is only a more knowledgeable savage.

Want to play?

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 15:21:48 PDT

Wouldn't it be cool if....

An extra hundred bucks came out of the ATM machine every once in awhile with a note saying, "because you've been extra good!"

Massive ammounts of chocolate was discovered to be the secret to youth, long-life and weight loss.

Politicians and DMV workers had to sing every word they say and skip whenever they leave their desks.

You could claim your pets as a tax deduction (assuming they're not "working" animals)

Everyone had to say your name, followed by "the most awesome."

"Paid Vacation" actually meant an all inclusive trip to somewhere you've always wanted to visit.

Now you try it...

Do we love confrontation?

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 13:26:36 PDT

I have to ask.

I'm looking at the blogs and it looks like most of the time normal, everyday posts gets only a few responses, but angry accusatory ones get a bunch of people.

Why is that? Tehachapi is full of nice friendly people, but it looks like the friendly blogs don't have nearly as much appeal as the angry or divisive ones. There are even blogs about divisive blogs.

I'm not saying this to attack anyone, or to make anyone mad, I really want to know. Is it just human nature? Is it easier to take a side than to reach out in a friendly way over a keyboard? Or is it just more fun to argue then it is to get along?