Socialism, New Faces But The Same Old Song

The Democratic Socialists of America have traded a stodgy, old, New England curmudgeon who is 28 years past retirement age for a young, enthusiastic, bright-eyed Latina from New York who is just 28 years outside of the womb as their mascot.

The first mascot never had a clue how the world works and the second mascot hasn't learned yet.

This tweeted image, memorializes the goals of The Democratic Socialists of America:

> Abolish profit
> Abolish prisons
> Abolish cash bail
> Abolish Borders #AbolishIce

On the face of it, these may seem desirable and progressive in nature, especially for someone who is:

> Unemployed
> In prison
> Arrested and needing to post bail
> Or is an illegal alien



For the rest of us common American Citizens, they are terrible ideas. Let's take a look at them.


Abolish Profit
Adam Smith was an English economist who lived about the time of our Revolutionary War and published a book, in 1776, entitled, The Wealth of Nations. He observed that people worked harder and were more productive when they were able to keep the rewards of their labors. Most of the world, at that time, were living under the Feudal Economic System.

This meant that someone owned all the land, all the buildings, and all the workers. The workers, or serfs, were required to do what they were told, when they were told, and received only room and board for their labors. They had no say in when they worked or were they worked. All of this was decided in the best interests of the Feudal Lord, King, or Monarch. If the King was kind and generous, they would live a safe and fairly productive life. If the King was neither kind nor generous, they often received barely enough to survive.

Major kings had lesser kings and lords to whom they delegated lands and authority, but everything still belonged to the highest king and tribute (taxes) were paid to the king or these opportunities would be taken away, often by force and death.

Adam Smith realized that if tasks were specialized and people were given a percentage of what they produced, they worked harder because they made more money to support their families. This percentage is known as profit. Profit is not a bad thing, it is actually very good. It is the way we can best make our abilities and skills grow to support us. We can even organize, teach, and help others produce goods, for a share of their profits. As long as each receives a fair portion of the profit, commensurate with their efforts, everyone is happy.

The problem arises when one party insists on an inordinate share, or even the entire profit. This act mutates capitalism and changes it back into the Feudal Economic System.

So if we Abolish Profit, we return back to the Feudal Economic System where all the profit rises up to those who are making the decisions at the top, regardless of what they call themselves. It impoverishes everyone except the leaders.


Abolish Prisons
This argument was seriously put forth by a very small segment who realized that there are a lot of people who are falsely convicted of crimes. In their eyes, abolishing prisons would solve that problem.

But, there are a very large segment of our population who have begun to believe that it is their right to take from others that which they personally don't have but want.

"If you have it and I want it, I can take it if I am bigger, meaner, or more violent."

These people ,who have no respect for the property or life of others, are the reasons we have prisons. Those who were unable to live peaceably with others, are contained in a facility where they can not hurt anyone. This was also the reason for the death penalty. If people couldn't play nice with others, then we would remove them from society so they would not continue to be a drain on the economy or a danger to others.

If we closed all the prisons and changed their names to affordable housing, we still would have hundreds of thousands of people who would begin to steal, rape, and murder as the occasion warranted it.

Would you be willing to take an unrepentent child molester into your home as a nanny for your adolescent children?

So, if we abolish prisons, what should be do with all those who can't live peaceably in society?


Abolish Cash Bail
All I can say is, "if you don't want to or can't pay a cash bail, don't get arrested". I would venture that 95% of those who need to post bail had a choice to not commit a crime before they got arrested.

This is a preventable problem.


Abolish Borders #AbolishIce
A country is a place with defined borders, a defined culture, and a set of rules or laws to govern their citizens. Without these, it is not a country. Places without these requirements become over run by anarchy and ruled by those with the most military or violent might.

When ever there is a power vacuum, it is always filled by aggressors. Every time. Even with a policed border, many countries have failed to prevent another entity from invading and taking control of their resources and people.

If the United States opened our borders to anyone who wanted to enter, whenever they wanted to enter, we would be flooded by those who want a better life, but also by those who's design and intent would be to overcome and control our resources and people. Most people need protection from aggressors, hence the need for a police force and prison system.

We need good immigrants, I am all for legal immigration. But without controls and protocols, anarchy would reign and every thing everybody wants to find here would disappear. We would cease to become the very thing they want.

It would be like a cruise ship that was sinking, with enough life boats for every person. Everything will go just fine, until everyone wants to get in the first boat. There would be no room, the boat would capsize and sink, while the rest of the boats floated away empty.


Socialism is Not the Answer
There has never been a country living socialism that has prospered or succeeded. Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of England, said, "The problem with socialism is the your eventually run out of other people's money."

Venezuela is the latest example of socialism run a muck. When Hugo Chavez was elected Prime Minister under the Socialist banner, he promised to use the vast profits from their oil wells to pull the people out of poverty. First order of business wad to "nationalize" all the oil wells in the country. This means he stole them from the companies who owned them.

They took the profits and began to provide food, clothes, and housing for the people. As the government provided more and more, people began to work less and less. Why work hard and take financial risks if the government would take care of all your needs. Then they ran out of money.

When the markets crashed in 2008, oil prices crashed too. Venezuela had become dependent on the high price of oil, so when their profits were cut in half, it was a serious problem because the demand for services only increased. Since that time, the government has had less and less to spend on people. Food and services have disappeared, and we now see people eating from garage dumps as the cats, dogs, and rats have all been eaten. Citizens have lost an average of 25 pounds each because of the lack of food. Since the economy of capitalism was destroyed, there was nothing to fall back on when socialism failed too. This has happened in less than 10 years.

It could happen here in America to under the Democratic Socialists of America's plan.

North Korea, A Masterful Stroke or a Debacle?

Ben Shapiro wrote an article today in the Daily Wire,

Trump's Big North Korean Moment Is Either A Masterstroke Or A Horrible Debacle. There's No In-Between.

I think that Shapiro is absolutely right in this article. The North Korea agreement is either a masterstroke or it will be a debacle. But, what we have been doing the past 70 years has not worked either.

I agree that Kim and his ancestors, have been terrible leaders and abusive individuals. The system of gulag camps, nothing more than placing the opposition in work camps, is a human rights violation. Generations of political prisoners have lived and died in these camps. They have created one of the poorest economic systems in the world and all their people suffer because of it.

There is little to applaud about Kim and his tactics. That said, isolating NK as we have, and imposing punitive damages hasn't worked either.

I know that Kim wants to be legitimized. He wants to be seen as a real leader. He wants to go down in the annals of Korean history as his grandfather, literally as a god.

We can never facilitate positive change from a confrontational position. Violence never changes behavior, it only postpones it. Even interrogators find that they acquire much more accurate and actionable information when the prisoner is humanized and respected. Beatings and intimidation will never topple one who is dedicated to their cause. They will die rather than capitulate.

I see, and hope I am right, that these steps will ease the tension and allow Kim to change without loosing face in the eyes of his people. Image is paramount with Asian cultures, much more so than even in our Western Civilization. If we can help Kim save face, while allowing him the opportunity to do what is right from this time forward, we have the best chance of seeing the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the closing of the gulag camps, and the people of NK begin to come out of their chrysalis and become mature, beautiful adults in the modern world.

Punishing Kim for his crimes against his people is not nearly as important as changing the condition of the oppressed and demoralized people of North Korea. - dlm

Why Does Mold Grow in Attics and Crawl Spaces?

This new post is in response to a question raised by another post of mine. 

"Mold - Where and How Does It Grow?" 

Bob asked, 

"Can I ask why there is often mold in attics and crawl spaces ? It makes no sense, because mold and mildew needs humidity. Because I have even heard that in many cases, you can have mold in your attic without it having any leak from the roof. Any opinions on this ???"



Here is my answer Bob, 

Great question. There are many reasons that mold can grow in attic and crawl spaces. All that is needed is some moisture, a food source, and the omnipresent mold spores can grow. 

Any broken or leaky pipe running through these areas will suffice, but there are other more subtle moisture sources. These are some I have actually seen.

Possible sources in an attic:

1. A leak from blown-off shingles.
2. A leak around a protrusion like a chimney, furnace flue, or wall rising up through the roof.
3. A clothes dryer or exhaust fan that is vented in the attic.
4. Insufficient ventilation that allows normal moisture to build up rather than being exhausted outside, especially in climates with normally high humidity.
5. Ice damning will push moisture up under the shingles into the attic.
6. Water from an air-conditioner or furnace condensate line that isn't drained properly.

Possible moisture sources in a crawlspace or basement.

1. Ground water coming through cracks in the concrete floor or walls in a basement.
2. Ground water wicking up through the dirt in the crawl space.
3. Water from a leaky toilet or drain line on the main floor that drops into the crawl space.
4. A clothes dryer or exhaust fan that is vented into the crawl space.
5. Insufficient ventilation that allows normal moisture to build up rather than being exhausted outside, especially in climates with normally high humidity.
6. Water from an air-conditioner or furnace condensate line that isn't drained properly.
7. Broken or disconnected drain lines in the crawl space.

All of these, and possibly other sources, can provide the moisture needed for mold to grow. Because we seldom go into the attic or crawl space, we are not able to monitor these areas and these conditions can cause significant damages over time, including rot and mold. - dlm

How Much Freedom of Religion Do We Really Have?

This post is in response to a question poised by one of my adult children.

He made the comment, "We must fight with all our might to defend [Religious Freedom]. And I believe that means we must fight just as hard to defend the religious freedom of others, no matter how strongly we disagree with them." I agree completely with him.

This and his other comments boiled down to these 2 questions:

     1.  Do we have the right to limit another person's freedom to practice their religion?
     2.  If we do, don't they have the same right to turn around and limit our freedom to practice our religion?

Very good questions. Here are some answers as I understand our freedoms. I found lots of backing through Court cases, but won't list them here now.

First, it is important to understand that no one in the United States of America, the Land of the Free, has the unfettered right to do what every they want. There is an old adage that best explains this:

"Your right to swing your fist ends at my nose."

And I would add, "Regardless of how emotionally charged or upset you are."

We are guaranteed many rights by the Constitution that a lot of other people in the world do not have, but with those freedoms, come restrictions. These restrictions are there to "provide for the common good", or to provide life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for the most people possible.

Example: We have the right to drive our car anywhere on the public roads, but speed limits, stop signs, and stop lights have been installed to help us share the road with others and to prevent personal and property damage. We also have to obtain a valid driver's license and proper insurance before we can legally drive. Most of us do our best to abide by these restrictions and see them as advantageous because we know how serious the damage can be if we don't. So even though we have the freedom to drive, there are restrictions put in place to protect all of us, and this freedom can be revoked or suspended if we fail to use it responsibly.

Other freedoms such as freedom of religion and expression, the right to bear arms, the right to assemble, the right to vote, etc., all have some limitations when the unrestricted exercise may not be for the public good and safety.

So to answer the first question, yes, the Constitution and subsequent Supreme Court rulings do allow for restrictions to the exercise of religious freedom. This should not be confused with limiting religious freedom. We are still free to believe what ever we want, but our exercise of those beliefs can be limited for the public good.

These restrictions should not be dictated by the President (one person), the Supreme Court (5 people), Cabinet Members or their departments, but by the Congress, which is composed of over 400 individuals selected to represent their constituents. This allows for a healthy debate on the pros and cons of every issue and should bring about a correct decision.

Therefore, to answer the second question, if we agree to limit the rights of others when their actions run counter to the common good, we should also be willing to allow those same types of restrictions to be placed up on us, should the same conditions arise.

If we don't like those decision, we have the right, and obligation, to lobby or petition Congress to re-evaluate their actions and propose new legislation. Many of the liberal left have chosen to bring a civil suit against a standing law and ask the Supreme Court to make a ruling in their favor. While the Court was created to ensure that neither Congress nor the President violated the Constitution, activists have been able have the Court overturn established law and their rulings have created new laws, not just negated a poor law as was the original intent.

A recent example is the Court's decision on Gay Marriage. In reality, 5 people decided it was the right thing to do, in spite of the fact that the Congress and all but 2 State Legislatures felt it was wrong. But that is off topic.

Back to the issue of Female Genital Mutilation. I understood the fact that you would like to equate it with Male Circumcision and remove the mutilation definition, but I am not sure that changes the issue. I see them as similar, not identical.

Male circumcision removes the foreskin from a male penis. It actually does have some health benefits by limiting a place for bacterial growth, it is legal in all 50 states and most countries of the world, and therefore is usually done in a hospital under sterile conditions. Sexual relations are not impeded nor restricted. It does not require additional surgery to have sex or to father children. It is more like removing a wart or a mole.

FGM on the other hand, removes the sexual pleasure points of a female, removes the labia or the outer skin of the vagina, and often the vagina is stitched close to prevent intercourse. To become pregnant, a reversal operation may need to be performed to allow for sperm implantation and the birth of the baby. It is universally banned in most countries of the world, except in those with predominately Muslim cultures, who dictate governmental policy. In other word, there is no separation of church and state.

It is quite often performed at home by non-medical professionals, without anesthetics, with infections and emotional trauma not uncommon. I understand, as you stated, that many mature women have chosen to undergo this procedure as adults. When a consenting adult chooses to alter their body without a life-threatening condition, they have the right to do so.

But allowing parents to medically alter the body of their young girl, who may not agree to have it done later in life, is irresponsible of government. I think the same argument applies to parents who are today choosing to medically change the gender of their children. It is not wrong to allow a child to dress and act like another gender, but to physically change their body at that age is wrong. There are too many instances of a child who wanted to act differently as a child, but as a teen or adult really wanted to be their original biological self. They shouldn't have their options restricted by surgery.

There are also a large percentage of adults who consent to gender reassignment surgery and then change their minds in a few years and reverse the procedure. Even for those who don't reverse, regret seems to be a far too common and suicide or attempted suicide rates are hovering between 40% - 50%.

Here are 2 well documented articles that reference nearly a dozen different studies world-wide o this topic.
http://thefederalist.com/2015/08/19/transgender-regret-is-real-even-if-the-media-tell-you-otherwise/
http://thefederalist.com/2014/11/11/trouble-in-transtopia-murmurs-of-sex-change-regret/

There are some cases throughout the world challenging the right of male circumcision to a child. They use the exact same arguments you and I have listed above, although a lot of them are parents suing the other parent for not obtaining permission first, so their motives may be questioned.

Should legal legislation ban the practice, it would be a law that should be followed, but it should be debated, explored and made into law by a majority of elected officials, not a handful of appointed judges.

Then the final questions,

1.  If a family holds a particular religious belief, and the exercise of it is banned by the country they live in, do they have the right to continue to practice it contrary to established law?

2.  Since, no one in the United States is prevented from leaving should they choose, why should our country be obligated to change our laws to placate a minority, who often chose to come here, particularly if there are other countries who will allow them to practice their beliefs unfettered?

That is similar to choosing to moving to Arizona and complaining that there is too much sunshine and it is way too hot.

The Education vs Employment Myth - Getting an Education

There are lots of studies that show the direct correlation to the level of education a person receives and their income after they leave college. These figures have fueled the myth that you can't get a good job unless you have an education. Therefore, people have drawn these obvious conclusions:

• If you go to college it will guarantee you a great job.
• Any cost required to get a college degree is worth it.
• No one can go to college without scholarships or loans.
• I'm not a genius, so I need loans to go to college.
• College education should be free to everyone, especially minorities.
• If you don't go to college you will always be poor.

While there is a little bit of truth in each of these points, they are mostly wrong.

• Going to college will not guarantee you a good job. We all know many people who graduate with a degree, but then can never find a job in their field and end up working at a position that doesn't even require a degree.
• If you think that any cost for college is worth it, you don't understand basic economics. If you have $50,000 - $100,000 in college debt, paying this off is nearly equal to buying a new home, but it can prevent you from qualifying for a home loan. You can have payments of $300 - $800 per month for the next 20 years. The payments are higher if you pay it off sooner. Incurring $100,000 in debt to obtain a $20,000 - $50,000 job is not a wise financial move.
• Anyone can go to college without scholarships or loans. Having a degree from State Universities or most community colleges is as good as a degree from Harvard or Yale to qualify for a job for most people. Attending a cheaper college and working an outside job will put most people through school.
• You don't need to be a genius to get a scholarship. There are millions of dollars of scholarships that go unclaimed every year. We all know about Rhodes Scholars, Football and Basketball Scholarships, as well as Academic Scholarships, but there are hundreds more that don't require an IQ of 200 or the physic of Wolverine.
• The site, Scholarships.com, lists many, many scholarships that nearly anyone can qualify for. There are:
• Community Service Scholarships
• Legacy Scholarships
• First in Family Scholarships
• Military Scholarships
• Scholarships for Average Students
• Scholarships for Men
• Scholarships for Moms
• Even Weird Scholarships
• There are also grants available for a variety of students for a variety of qualifications.
• There is a cost for everything. Everyone used to understand the phrase, "There ain't no free lunch." Now we have college kids, most of whom have never earned and paid for anything in their lives, clamoring that a college education should be free and that all existing college loans and debts should be forgiven.
• There are some occupations that require additional education at a university or specialty school to "know your stuff". These include; doctors, architects, attorneys and some other professionals. But programmers, entrepreneurs, managers, and most manufacturing positions do not have appropriate courses in most universities. These people need to find the information and teach themselves in order to succeed.

So, getting a job is not as dependent on getting a college degree as it is on having the desire and ability to work hard.

Photo courtesy of:
http://www.bcrwealth.com/blog/educating-our-children

The Education vs Employment Myth - Getting a Job

Having a good job is not so much a factor or your level of education as it is your desire to work hard and succeed.

Example:

In 2009, at the height of the last recession, my company needed to hire a new receptionist. The job was not difficult, it entailed being able to take calls on multiple phone lines, schedule appointments for carpet cleaning, give general pricing about products, and refer any difficult questions to an estimator. 

We placed an ad on Craig's List that ran for about a week and received about 150 applications. 

1. First step was to throw out anyone who had not stayed at their previous jobs for more than a year to find stable applicants. This left about 75 applicants.
2. Then we tossed those who were obviously over or under qualified, i.e., high level managers, those with Master's Degrees, those who had just graduated from high school or had only had one other job. These people would never be happy with this position. This narrowed the field to about 35 applicants.
3. Next,we culled out those who obviously didn't possess the personality traits or skills sets needed for the position. i.e., plumbers, bill collectors, bouncers, dog walkers, baby-sitters, etc. This left us with 15 applicants. 
4. (I am not making this up, the numbers kept shrinking by half.)
5. We then called and invited the 15 people to come for an interview. Only 5 showed up.
6. Out of the 5, we chose the most likely candidate, called and hired her. She was to start the next day. She never showed up.
7. We then called the next best qualified applicant, hired her to start the next day. She came, started the job, but left for lunch and never returned.
8. We finally called the 3rd best candidate who came, was marvelous, and worked for 18 months until she got married and moved out of state.

Now, what did I learn from this? At the time when our nation was experiencing some of the highest unemployment rates in our history, it was really hard to hire someone who would work. It seemed that no one wanted to work.

This experience continued to manifest itself with our other technicians. Approximately half of our 6 -- 10 permanent employees had been there for 4 - 8 years. The other half continually rotated out every 4 - 6 months. They were either arrested, to drunk or high to show up, or just simply disappeared. There weren't more than one or two who were fired for not being able to do the job. 

So, if you are looking for a job, the most important things are; 

• To be willing to be on time, 
• Work hard, and
• Do what you're told with a smile.

Photo courtesy of:

http://www.ericaontheedge.com/finding-a-job-when-youre-over-50/

Barley, Bears, and Bathrooms

First, Barley. 

There are no more than a handful of history minded individuals that have any idea who Trofim Lysenko was. Yes, that was his real name and it is a scary photo.

He was a Russian scientist born in 1898. He quickly gained recognition and was promoted to director of the Institute of Genetics within the USSR's Academy of Sciences in his early 40's. He was a rock star in the scientific community of the Soviet Union and a favorite of Josef Stalin, the Soviet leader.

What was his secret to success? He came up with a "new theory" of genetics. He laid aside the proven theories of Gregor Johann Mendel of how plants pass on genetic traits to their offspring in favor of his own ideas.

Lysenko believed that he could change the genetic code of plants to the point he could make peas grow outside in the Siberian winter or change barley into wheat. His ideas flew in the face of decades of peer-reviews and hundreds of scientific papers on the subject. But, since he was the pet of Stalin, the man who was personally responsible for the deaths of over 20 million of his own people, he was able to have any criticism of his work classified as heresy, forbidden, and punishable by prison or death.

It took 40 years, the complete collapse of Russian agriculture, and the continued starvation of the Russian people, before the country was able to admit that he was absolutely wrong. With the country starving in the early 1960's, and Russia forced to purchase half of the wheat needed to feed their people from the United States, he was "retired" to a farm outside Moscow.

For a long time, any mistaken idea not based on science or research, was known as "Lysenkoism".


Second, Bears.

In 2006, Al Gore released a film called, "An Inconvenient Truth". This documentary claimed that 2500 climate scientist had signed on supporting this concept that man was destroying the earth with the creation so carbon dioxide and that within a few short decades, global warming would destroy mankind.

Governments, celebrities, and the media grabbed on to this concept as the greatest dramatic news story of the ages. Recycling became vogue, polluters were vilified, and the world was rocked back on its heels.

Now, 10 years later, even as the media continues to pound home the veracity of his prophecies, half of the original scientist who "signed on" as supporters have recanted. We can also document that most of his predictions have failed to come to pass.

1. Temperatures have remained consistent or lowered around the world.

2. Both poles are still covered with ice.

3. Polar bears and other arctic life still thrive.

4. The past 5 years have seen the lowest number of hurricanes and violent storms ever.

5. Climate change researchers have continually been discovered manipulating data to support their desired outcomes.


There were 2 good things that resulted from Gore's alarmist statements:

1. We have become more conscious of conserving, recycling, and striving to preserve the earth.

2. Al Gore has made hundreds of millions of dollars from the "carbon selling exchanges" he created just before he released the film.

But still, it is Lysenkoism, cronyism, and profiteering.


Lastly, Bathrooms.

I don't know if you see the pattern here? Barley, bears, and now bathrooms.

The newest craze to hit the world is the de-gentrification of mankind or the "transgender con". I don't know exactly who pulled this piece of feces out of the toilet, but they are bent on convincing everyone that "some people are born with penises and some people are born with vaginas, but everyone chooses whether they are a man or a woman."

It is odd that the "gender assignists" are adamant that a person should be able to choose their gender, but they then classify gender by the desire to do tasks that have been assigned to genders by society for millennia. In other words;

1. If you like pink, 
2. Are not aggressive, 
3. And like to dress-up, 
4. You are a female. 

1. If you like blue, 
2. Love to break things, 
3. And don't care whether your clothes match, 
4. You are a male.

I like pink and blue, I love to break things and then fix them, I hate aggression and confrontation, and I don't really care what I wear, as long as it is comfortable. That makes me . . . ? It makes me, David. I can always tell what my gender is when I use the bathroom or shower.

Contrary to intellectual manipulation, gender is not based on what you like to do. Gender is connected with your biological sex. It defines what you do as a provider, mentor, and parent in a home. The reason gender is under attack is because of the desire to crush the family. If Progressives can destroy gender, they have obliterated the family. That is their ultimate goal.

This effort to re-define the human race has:

1. No empirical data to study, 
2. No collaborated research, and
3. No peer reviewed studies. 

It is a social experiment being pushed on the world by well-meaning, but mistaken activists.

This is a train-wreck in the making. It is already confusing many people, even the ones they are trying to help. We now have gender for a day people; they are one day male, the next day female, and vice versa.

Some are even trying to sue their co-workers if they fail to address them by their gender preference of the day.

There have always been people who are confused.
There have always been people with genuine biological issues.
There have always been people with social issues that make integration difficult.
There have always been too many people who are critical, abusive, and degrading of others.

These are all problems that need to be addressed individually and not legislated nationally. Destroying the family will only aggravate these issues.

Let's stop this crazy Lysenkoism experiment before we regret it.

The Myth of the Square Knot

There is a myth circulating on the Internet that is actually dangerous if people believe it. It is the Myth of the Square Knot.

There is a prevailing myth that because the Boy Scouts adopted the square knot as an icon, it is the strongest and best knot to use. This if FALSE. 

The square knot is a first-aid knot. It is designed to be used to hold a bandage in place until the person can receive medical help. It will hold tightly as long as tensile pressure is steady on the ends of the both ropes. But, if you take the ends of the same rope, and pull them apart, the knot falls apart. This is intentional. This way a doctor can easily and quickly remove the bandage to inspect and treat the wound.

"There have probably been more lives lost as a result of using a Square Knot as a bend (to tie two ropes together) than from the failure of any other half dozen knots combined." (The Ashley Book of Knots, page 258).

The picture at the left shows how easily a stack of square knots, which looks very secure, will collapse when both ends of the red rope are pulled apart. The square knot has a specific purpose and if you use it for any other purpose, the results can be deadly.

There are several other knots that are strong and don't come apart under pressure. The best one to tie two ropes together, used by rock climbers, is the Figure 8 Bend. It only looks complicated, but is actually quite simple to tie.

To make a loop in the end of a rope, the best know is the bowline. It is the knot recommended to secure a person when you are lifting them up a cliff or to make sure your boat or horse are still there when you return.

One of the best sites to learn how to tie any knot is Animated Knots by Grog. There are videos with step by step directions that are easy to follow. Learn the basic knots that will help you tie down a load on a trailer, tie up your boat, tie 2 short ropes together to make a longer one, etc. and be prepared and safe.

All knot photos courtesy of: http://www.animatedknots.com/
Arrow of Light Knot courtesy of: http://www.boyscouttrail.com/square-knots.asp#aol

Immigration, The New World Crisis

Immigration will likely be the paramount issue in the next Presidential Election. It is the rocket that Donald Trump is riding on toward the White House. It is the next chasm growing among Americans.

As Ann Coulter pointed out in her recent article, "When the Third World Attacks", ISIS isn't responsible for most of the bloodshed, carnage, and mayhem that is happening throughout the world. It is the unfettered access of criminals and misfits posing as refugees that has swept along with the flood of immigrants around the world.

Let me be clear that I am not against immigration. My family came to this country from all over northern Europe. By the beginning of the Revolutionary War, all but one of my family lines were already in America. The first, John Huntly, arrived in Massachusetts in the 1650's. Andreas Meffert, my paternal ancestor, arrived in Philadelphia in 1754. All of them were required to pledge allegiance to the King of England, the then current leader of this land. They helped fight the Revolutionary War and founded, what was to become the greatest nation on earth based on the principles of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. These rights were guaranteed by the Rule of Law. The posterity of these early Americans now reside in every State in the Union and are productive citizens.

Immigration was what made this country what it is. People with a strong belief in the Judeo-Christian values of hard work, the rule of law, honesty, integrity, independence, chastity, and fidelity created a nation that was willing to not only protect itself from aggressors, but generously give time, treasure, and lives if need be, to protect other people from aggressors within or without. Others who came later also embraced these standards in their lives and because prosperous and productive.

Now we are faced with the collapse of governments all across Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. These ruling parties are based on greed, corruption, and theft for personal aggrandizement. They achieve these nefarious goals with violence and coercion. Whether it is Cartels in Mexico and Central America, the Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah, the PLO, ISIS in the Middle East, or Boko Haram or other warlords in Africa, the result of their political goals is all the same, the collapse of their economies and the abuse and enslavement of their people. This is the reason for the massive exodus from these countries to Europe and the United States.

Compassion from freedom loving people has tried to take in millions of these homeless refugees, but the sheer number of them is straining the reserves of the host countries. Most of these refugees do not want to come to France, Germany, England or the US because they want to become citizens and live peacefully in Western Civilization, they want to come to get away from the horrors of their homeland and rebuild their lives and culture in the midst of these strange countries. Most of them have no interest or desire to assimilate because their culture abhors the lifestyles and beliefs of the Western civilizations.

There are too many non-Muslims who are demanding bans any Muslims refugees into their countries. This is the continuation of a myth that started with the destruction of the World Trade Center. There is a big difference between Muslims blowing up the Towers and the Towers being destroyed by people who were Muslim.

There are hundreds of thousands of Muslim refugees who do not want to annihilate the infidels, they just want a place to raise their families in peace. These travelers need help. And we can and should help. It would be better for their countries to become stable so they could stay there, but presently, that is a very unlikely proposition. There are too many people profiting from the unrest for a peaceful solution to emerge before people starve and freeze this winter.

Here are some suggestions that should be implemented for all refugees, regardless of their religion or country of origin.

1. All immigrants need to be properly vetted before they enter the country.
2. Criminals or political opponents of the host country would be denied entrance.
3. This would require the establishments of refugee camps, preferably in their country of origin.
4. All immigrants would be required to swear allegiance to the country they were entering and disavow the violence and corruption of the country they left.
5. Allegiance would include:
1. Adherence to the Rule of Law and the Constitution.
2. Willingness for their personal or religious convictions to be second to the law of the land.
3. A pledge to obey and uphold the laws of the land.
4. Recognition that any assistance they receive would be temporary and they would be required to become self-sustaining or they could forfeit their stay.
5. Violation would be grounds for immediate return to their country of origin.

These steps are not perfect, but without them, the flood of refugees will drown the culture, resources and good will of the hosts, creating a country just like the one the refugees left.

Paris Bombing photo courtesy of Human Events
World Trade Center photo courtesy of: www.conmilit.com

What Makes America Great?

I am sick and tired of listening to all the negative rhetoric blasting America and Americans for being what they are. Everyone, at home and abroad, has been trying for the last 40 years to make us feel guilty for being born, being independent, for raising the standard of living for the world, in short, for becoming what they all wish they were.

Other countries complain, criticize, and  caterwaul, and yet, if given the chance, they would almost to a person, trade places with us at the drop of a hat.

The problems the world are feeling, stem not from our oppressive foreign policy, (which has had it’s moments of weakness), not from the fact that we have colonized the world and bled resources from defenseless territories, (even though the principle of Manifest Destiny did needlessly trample and destroy many people and places.) No, the real reason for the disdain, is jealousy; unadulterated, green-eyed jealousy.

And so, like adolescent children, instead of trying to beat us at our own game, they belittle, condemn, and conspire to pull us down rather than try to lift themselves up. They tear away at the fabric that make us what we are, never dreaming that if these threads were woven into themselves, they would realize their own dreams.

So, what is it that makes America great? What are the components of our success? Listen as a Son of the Revolution, a product of the culture, explains the spirit of success. 

My family came to America from the Germany to Philadelphia in the 1750’s and fought in the Revolution, the Civil War, and all the wars since. They also moved west from Pennsylvania and settled Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Kansas, Texas, California, Oregon, and Idaho. But the spirit of success had never been limited to those who crossed the Appalachians or forded the Missouri. It lives in the hearts of the Irish, the English, the Russian, the Poles, the Asians, and Arabs who came to this country searching for opportunity. It is the spirit of responsibility. The responsibility for not only your actions, but more importantly, responsibility for your destiny. It is the force that pushes you out of bed each morning to try again. It is the motivation that compels you to do your best so your family and posterity may benefit.  It is the power that has made and keeps this country great.

We do not believe in the Divine Right of Kings nor the natural right of anyone else to lead. The right to leadership is based on your ability, not your lineage. It explains our passion for winners. We are drawn to those who accomplish although we too often worship those who succeed. We follow our leaders when they lead the direction we are going, and when they deviate, we replace them.

We believe that families are important, that they are the building blocks of any nation. But when families lie, steal, cheat, or expect us to do the same to protect them, it is imperative that the laws of the land are honored.All people, even our family members, must pay the consequences for their unlawful actions or the rule of law dissolves and anarchy ensues.

We make mistakes. But we try to learn from them. At times it seems we learn very slow, but it’s hard to turn 300 million people on a dime. Some changes have taken generations, and others will take several more. But we live in a country of people who not only chose to come here, but few ever choose to leave. We have border patrols to keep people out, not to keep our population in.  How many other countries can say that. Eldrege Cleaver, an outspoken critic and terrorist of the US in the 1960’s, left for twenty years to live abroad among the communistic countries he idolized, but chose to return to the land of his birth and face prison for his mistakes, because incarceration in this free land was better than citizenship in a dictatorship.

The voices of condemnation and dissent, whether at home or abroad, those who espouse Socialism, Communism, Maoism, or any other brand of Totalitarianism, have missed the mark. Those who want government or Big Brother to watch over and take care of us do not understand the nature of our success. The success and continued existence of the United States of America is based on the constant and vigilant maintenance of responsibility for self, for family, for country, and for those in need. Fortunately most of our citizens still harbor this flame of self-reliance as evidenced by the overwhelming outpouring of compassion, labor, and cash that poured into New York from across the country since the World Trade Center Collapse as well as in the aftermath of other recent calamities.

We have our failings, but we are blessed with greater strengths. Our faith in God and in ourselves will continue to preserve and sustain us. We are faced with a deadly, faceless foe bent on our annihilation. They not only want to topple us from our place of leadership in the world, but they want to destroy our way of life, convert us to their theology and enslave us for their prosperity. The threat is not new. It is the same challenge we faced from King George to Bismarck to Hitler to Kruchev. Their goal is to empower themselves by enslaving others. Abraham Lincoln stated, “As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master”. We as free people, need to reach out, to teach, expound, and exhort others to accept that there is a reason for every man’s condition, but there is no excuse for them to remain that way.

Image courtesy: Joshua Hardin http://www.viewfindermedia.com/images/rockies/slides/rockies77.htm

Why am I Still a Mormon?

I have spent the greater part of my life not only studying the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (the Mormon Church), but also in reading all the anti-Mormon literature I come across. 

In doing so, I have waded through some really interesting stuff. Stories of gold digging, séances, magic mushrooms, plagiarism, men on the moon, collusion,  polygamy justifying adultery, narcissistic behavior, piles of arrests, imprisonment, etc. These fables continue to be expanded and embellished with each telling. He said, she said, she said, he said, accusations abound from every quarter.

From my observation, the only consistent facts that continue to rise to the top are: 

1. Those who would slander and malign Joseph Smith and the Mormon Church generally have a spirit of anger, hatred and lack of reverence for both the commandments of God and the laws of man.
2. Those who support or sustain Joseph Smith and the Mormon Church generally are more even tempered, compassionate, and live lives that tend to be in harmony with the laws of God and the land.

But, I digress, back to the accusations of corruption, collusion, and deception.

No, wait a minute, there is no way for me to untangle the jumbled web of contradiction, innuendos, and implied falsehoods. I wasn’t there when Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon. I wasn’t there when Joseph received any revelations or taught the principle of polygamy. I was not to know if he was a gold digger. I was not there to know if Joseph was an adulterer.

So, if I can’t unravel, expose, and document the truth or error of the Restoration, why am I still a Mormon? If I can’t prove it, why do I still believe and live it?

There is a simple answer. The Holy Ghost continues to tell me it is true.

Well, the intellectual readers just left.

You see, when I am kind, thoughtful, generous, and compassionate, I feel the Spirit confirm to me again that it is true. Whenever I am angry, rebellions, selfish, and depressed, doubts arise.

Then, if I begin to believe my doubts; I cease to pray, I don’t read the scriptures, and I stop serving others. But when my testimony is strong; I seek guidance from God through the Spirit, I have hope in the Atonement of Christ, I find joy in reading God’s word, and depression flees. I am aware of those around me who need love and encouragement. Serving God by serving others brings immense joy to my life. Those around me are ignited by the Spirit I bring, they are happier, more fun to be with, and they brighten my day even more.

When I believe it is true and exercise my faith that it is, the Holy Spirit confirms to me that it is true, and I am filled with indescribable joy. This happens all the time and it is not restricted to just me. Anyone can do it. Jesus said that if any man would do his will he would know of the doctrine, whether it was of God or whether it was of man.

I am still a Mormon because I prefer happiness and joy over depression and despair, direction and confidence over apathy and doubt.

Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones, . . .

Crazy California, the perennial leader in Socialistic pogroms, er, programs, sorry, has once again lead the way, passing another law to protect someone from being offended.

I somehow missed the Amendment 1.1 to the Bill of Rights that guaranteed citizens could not offend one another. I know we encourage Kindergarteners to be kind, but now we need Big Brother Jerry Brown to make sure adults talk nice too.

The LA Times reported this morning that Governor Brown signed into law a bill that restricts all school districts in California from using the name "Redskins" as a team name or mascot. It also cautions school nurses and dermatologists to exercise caution when diagnosing patients with any illness that manifests "red skin". It is important for them to add a verbal "space" between the words to not be in violation of the new mandate.

Ironically, the new law only restricts the usage of the term "redskins" and then, only in connection with team names and mascots. School districts can still freely use titles such as: Indians, Warriors, Savages, Squaws, Papooses, Nits, Lice, etc., for team names and mascots.

Districts can also still use the R-word for the name of a school, after-school enrichment programs, awards for excellence and achievement, as well as, offensive tirades by teachers and student against Native American students.

The scuttle-but is that the law was created and passed to place more pressure on the Washington Redskins to change their team name. Can't see how that will make one bit of difference. You can be sure that if the Redskins ever were to change their name from pressure, the next step will be to exact reparations from the team to compensate the Native Americans for insults and injury the R-name has cause over the last 300 years.

There is no one like those with a tomahawk to grind, that can create a law, that makes a bigger mess, than what they tried to fix.

You Catch More Bears With Honey Than With Vinegar

The old adage teaches us that you catch more bears with honey than with vinegar.

My experience has shown that there are 2 different camps that vocally oppose the Mormon Church.
1) Christians who honestly feel that faith alone will bring us the Grace of God and they sincerely want to save us from our errors.
2) Former members of the Mormon Church who don't want to live the Gospel and search for every opportunity to rationalize their rebellion.

Both groups are usually so well versed in their dogma that rational dialog proves to be pointless in changing lives. What does make a difference, is sincere acts of caring, concern, and service. In other words, simply living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The best example of this is a recent documentary by Bryan Hall called "Us and Them, Religious Rivalry in America". After crossing the country searching for the reason behind the animosity, Mr. Hall realizes that the solution to all the cacophony is the honest implementation of the Gospel.

Rather than arguing with protesters at General Conference, we should be giving them water, hot chocolate, donuts, cookies, blankets, etc., to make their stay easier and more comfortable. Kind words of appreciation for their unwavering faith in Christ will go further to positively impact the heart than heated dialogue and caustic confrontation.

We defend the Savior better by sharing understanding and compassion, lifting up the arms that hang down, and encircling all people with the arms of love. We can not teach positive principles using negative techniques.

So, when someone confronts you about the Church; listen quietly to their concerns, sincerely express your love for them, and share your simple testimony of your love for your Savior and your gratitude for his Atonement in your life.

That is the Savior's way.

You're Not Special, We Are All Special

But if we are all special, then no one is special.

There have been many misconceptions and a few outright lies shouted by both sides of the homosexual/gay-rights/same-sex-marriage issue. Those who broadcast falsehoods are just plain wrong and often border on evil. Make no mistake, they exist on both sides of the fence. The particular whopper I wanted to address is homosexuals as a protected class of people.

This hype over gays being special, unique, and in need of protected status is bogus. It is akin to the radical racists who claim that everyone hates them because of their race. I harbor a particular distaste for most racists, (those who claim others are racists,) but it is because they are conniving, whining, manipulating operatives with subversive agendas; it is not because of the color of their skin. So, here's a news flash: gays are not special.

They are special to their parents, their children, their friends and associates, but they are not a special sub-set of mankind that requires preferential treatment or accommodations. The leaders of this movement want us to feel they are special because they want us to publicly and openly accept their way of thinking and living. But they are just like everybody else. Homosexuals are homosapians, with strengths and weaknesses, challenges and opportunities.

The lesbian couple in Oregon who sued Sweet Cakes by Melissa over the emotional stress of their rejection, obviously have issues that were present long before they walked into the cake shop. When you are doing something that is different or repulsive to many people, feeling hurt because you weren't accepted is like a smoker complaining of their cough. Not that we should be offensive to those who are different, but people also need to accept responsibility and the responses to their unorthodox actions.

God told a prophet over 2000 years ago, "I give unto men weakness that they may be humble". We all have challenges to overcome, phobias that need to be faced, and proclivities that should be controlled. We are all swimming in this soup together and we need to provide the support and help to others we can.

Recognizing the un-specialness of those with challenges is important to healing and health. Assigning a special classification prolongs the problem, it doesn't help with healing. Some individuals, such as children, the mentally challenged, or those with crippling diseases, need to be afforded special treatment and consideration. But rational adults, who have made their life choices, must accept the consequences of their actions, including acceptance or rejection.

The Lord also declared that we should have no sexual relations except with our husband or wife to whom we are legally married. The only reason he told us this is that sexual relations in any other setting; fornication, adultery, homosexuality, promiscuity, etc., will not bring us the happiness most of us are seeking. It is the same with abortion, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, murmuring, backbiting, lying, stealing, coveting, and a host of other actions. 

Sin is simply, any action which brings sorrow or pain to ourselves or to others. As a loving father, God advises us to avoid those behaviors. We may have a propensity to deviant behavior, and unwelcome thoughts may spontaneously pop into our minds at any moment, but it is our reaction, not the thought that defines us. The question is, do we change the thought and thereby dictate our actions, or do we foster, fertilize and fantasize upon the thought until it becomes a deed?

God's solution is to come unto him and his beloved son, Jesus Christ for strength and direction. 

The Apostle Paul told us "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." I think that sometimes, the escape he provides is from the cords that bind us, after we have succumbed to temptation, but the escape is none the less real.

The Prophet Nephi told his father, "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

Jesus Christ told Joseph Smith while he was wrongly imprisoned, "My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; . . ."

The promises for all mankind are that we can become the best we can be, we can find the happiness we seek, and we can help others achieve the same. May God continue to guide us to him, I pray in the name of his son, Jesus Christ.

How the Votes on Same-Sex Marriage Stack Up

The current legality of same-sex marriage, as defined by 5 Supreme Court Justices, has brought to a head the discussion of marriage, equality, and non-traditional societal behavior. President Obama has stated, as with Obamacare, that this is now the law of the land, “Get used to it!” 

(Although he never told the homo-sympathetic crowd before the ruling, that marriage was legally only between a man and a woman as defined in the Defence of Marriage Act so they should “Get used to it!”, but I digress.)

There have only been 2 States, Oregon and Massachusetts, where the popular vote passed same-sex marriage. The other states who passed bans had 1-3 Federal Judges overturn the vote of the people, who had already rejected it soundly. 

Public opinion polls project that a majority of the people in the US support same-sex marriages, but if you count the votes cast so far, it paints a different picture. 

(Remember that polls are taken from a small demographic group, often less than 1000 people. The area you choose to poll your voters can dramatically shift the outcome of the poll. A poll of 1000 people in downtown Salt Lake City, predominately Democrat, and 1000 people in Utah County, predominately Republican, will be diametrically opposed.)

The number of times State Legislatures voted to prohibit same-sex marriage, (some States have voted more than once on the subject.)

• For a ban – 52 times
• Against a ban – 17 times

 Popular vote to support a Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage:

• Banning same-sex marriages – 32 times
• Bans to same-sex overturned by Federal Courts - 18
• Not to support ban same-sex marriages – 2 times
• Percentage of voters nationwide banning same-sex marriage – 66.57%
• Percentage of voters nationwide supporting same-sex marriages – 33.43%

Since this is still a Judicial ruling interpreting the Constitution and not actually part of the Constitution, I expect to see multitudes of court and legislative challenges defining and re-defining this decision. Who knows where it will eventually end up. 

Voting statistics from Wikipedia, 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_legislation_in_the_United_States