"I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!"

News flash!  Apparently as long as you win an Academy award, it is ok to drug and rape and sodomize a 13 year old, or so thinks the “finger on the pulse of everyday Americans” Hollywood Mafioso.  Hasn’t he suffered enough- living in Paris as a free man for 30 years, making movies, making money, living in the lap of luxury?  Don’t we all feel the same as actress Debra Winger, who said “We stand by him and await his release and his next masterpiece.”?

 

I never thought I would see the day- even the New York Times and NPR don’t agree with Hollywood.  They have both come out in support of the arrest.  I am truly baffled that anyone, ANYONE, would think what he did isn’t a big enough deal to warrant punishment.  I can make two conclusions out of all of this- that most of Hollywood have zero morals- as long as you make “masterpieces” such as the satanic “Rosemary’s Baby”, or Harvey Weinstein and the rest of Hollywood dream of the day when they can do the same to a 13 year old and get away with it.

Deep thoughts

“Now obviously, the worst thing that can happen to a Socialist is to have himself openly identified with the work of the Communists who are generally feared and despised.  The Socialists know they cannot seize property and power by “due process of law” unless they are politically popular, therefore, they try desperately to avoid the taint of the Communists and present their program so that it appears “moral,” “democratic,” “peaceful,” and so “gradual” that people will not resist it.” – Ezra Taft Benson Church News 12/23/1961

 

“History teaches that when individuals have given up looking after their own economic needs and transferred a large share of that responsibility to the government, both they and the government have failed.  At least twenty great civilizations have disappeared.  The pattern is shockingly similar.  All, before their collapse, showed a decline in spiritual values, in moral stamina, and in the freedom and responsibility for their citizens.  They showed such symptoms as deficit spending, excessive taxation, bloated bureaucracy, government paternalism, and generally a rather elaborate set of supports, controls and regulations, affecting prices, wages, productions, and consumption.”  - Ezra Taft Benson, BYU 2/28/1962

Overheard tidbits of truth? from Hollywood...

From the movie “State of Play” –

Russell Crowe’s character explaining some evidence found at a crime scene-

I’m paraphrasing here-  “The shooter used reloads; untraceable.  He also used heavier bullets he cast himself, twice the weight of bullets you can buy at the store.  That means the shooter intended to kill.” 

So, in Hollywood’s proverbial wisdom, light bullets in an assassins gun are not meant to kill, while heavier bullets are for killing.  And also because the guy was shot in the back and the head, that means only ex-military.  Cause no one else with a gun could possibly shoot a guy twice- once in the head and once in the back.  Remember- this was the movie that had Brad Pitt cast as the lead, but the script was so bad he bailed ship.

Excuse my nerdery, which is still cooler than Spencer’s nerdery.

Peace- I’m out.

 

 

BEHOLD!!!

And what fine piece of machinery do your eyes behold? Why only the finest off-road vehicle ever conceived by the mind of man! A Chevy K5 Blazer. Why do I bring this up? Well, my truck is about kaput, and so Sharel and I have been shopping around. Due to the distinct lack of anything for $1500 that will run, we have decided to wait until we get our tax refund, and then pool some of it with the $1500 and buy me a new vehicle. Well, I saw one of these the other day, and an old flame was rekindled. I have wanted one of these since we lived in Utah and I was the ripe old age of 4. Since then I have seen these around and yes, I lust after them. I know they are horribly prone to rust, horrible gas mileage (but my truck gets terrible mpg, so I figure it is a lateral move) not to mention other problems, but parts are cheap and plentiful, as well as knowledge pools from a host of people who have rebuilt these from the ground up. Sharel is all for it, especially since I can pick up one that has had the engine rebuilt and a new tranny in it for around $3000. So, Bo, and Spencer, eat your heart out! Not only do I have guns, but I will also round out my redneckness with the ultimate vehicle, cause nothin says "clingin' to guns and religion" more than a 1987 Chevy K5 Blazer with a 6 inch lift.

Reflections

Today is Sept. 11.  I had completely put it out of my mind what the significance of this day was until I was on my way to work and heard a reminder on the radio.  It brought back a flood of feelings and memories, where I was when I first heard the news, what I thought, the day spent in front of a little black and white television in the office, the reports of gasoline being sold for $5-$6 a gallon, and the shock of that day.  I recall standing on the Phelps Road bridge over I-70 with Sharel watching the sunset.  It was an absolutely beautiful day, the temperature was perfect, the sky was a very vibrant blue.  Things seemed very surreal for the next couple of weeks.  I remember after a week wishing that they would stop showing the hole in the ground in Manhattan on the TV- I wanted some sort of distraction from what had happened.

People say that something fundamentally changed that day, and I guess I would have to agree.  I am not sure what it was, but perhaps we all were a little more humble, a little more aware of the important things in life, especially after the relatively carefree days of the 90’s.  There was certainly a lot of anger, calls for vengeance were strong.  But most of all, I think there was an air of love and support.  We were kinder to each other, took time to understand.  My generation felt a sense of duty, and many of my friends and people I went to school with joined the military.  Politics were set aside for a while, and everyone at the time agreed on the course of action.

But time seems to have destroyed all of the fellowship we had with each other.  It appears we live in a completely different world.  We are less tolerant of others views we snipe, and feel hatred and anger every day we listen to the news.  There is a power struggle going on, and things have reached a fever pitch, there is no discussion, but rather name calling and denigrating from every one.  Don’t misunderstand; there are serious things going on right now that will have serious repercussions for our nation, things we must stand up to.  I guess I just yearn a little for the smiles from strangers that have been replaced by paranoia and cynicism.  But we must fight, figuratively speaking, for the rights we have been given. 

In writing this, I am reminded of President Lincoln’s Proclamation establishing Thanksgiving.  While speaking of the many temporal blessings and things to be thankful for, Lincoln said:

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

We do live in a perverse and wicked time, a time when our nation is divided, when sin is rampant all over.  Reading the Book of Mormon we see that we, too, are in a pride cycle.  The Lord saw fit to compel us to humility, and for a season we were.  Now I fear what is next, as we have forgotten the many blessings the Lord has given us.  Thanksgiving no more is a day where we remember blessings from Heavenly Father, but rather a day where we are thankful to the Indians for giving the Pilgrims food, we are thankful that there are 23 football games on the TV to choose from, or we are thankful that we can glutton ourselves on ham and pie.  I wonder what it will take for us as a society to be humble.  I think I can predict with some certainty that whatever it is, it is going to hurt.  Abraham Lincoln called on the American people to repent during the civil war, and we have a modern day prophet who has called on us to do the same.  President Hinckley told us in October of 2001 that “Our safety lies in repentance. Our strength comes of obedience to the commandments of God.”  The last part of his talk was so very good, and comforting:

Now, brothers and sisters, we must do our duty, whatever that duty might be. Peace may be denied for a season. Some of our liberties may be curtailed. We may be inconvenienced. We may even be called on to suffer in one way or another. But God our Eternal Father will watch over this nation and all of the civilized world who look to Him. He has declared, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" (Ps. 33:12). Our safety lies in repentance. Our strength comes of obedience to the commandments of God.

Let us be prayerful. Let us pray for righteousness. Let us pray for the forces of good. Let us reach out to help men and women of goodwill, whatever their religious persuasion and wherever they live. Let us stand firm against evil, both at home and abroad. Let us live worthy of the blessings of heaven, reforming our lives where necessary and looking to Him, the Father of us all. He has said, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10).

Are these perilous times? They are. But there is no need to fear. We can have peace in our hearts and peace in our homes. We can be an influence for good in this world, every one of us.

May the God of heaven, the Almighty, bless us, help us, as we walk our various ways in the uncertain days that lie ahead. May we look to Him with unfailing faith. May we worthily place our reliance on His Beloved Son who is our great Redeemer, whether it be in life or in death, is my prayer in His holy name, even the name of Jesus Christ, amen

I don’t know, I am rambling, just putting to words what is going through my head.  But my thoughts keep running back to our military men and women.  They have so valiantly fought for us here, for our freedoms.  I am sure we take them for granted, I know I do.  Sometimes I wish I had the courage they have, to volunteer to participate in what Elder Hartman Rector, Jr. called “the greatest evil known to man”, war.  Someone sent a photo essay out.  The photos showed a Marine Officer who had the unenviable position of notifying next of kin of fallen soldiers.  I almost couldn’t get through it here at work.  I hope I never forget the sacrifice that not only the soldiers have made, but also their families, have made. 

For me, this September day has been a thoughtful and reflective day.  The anger I have felt in the past few weeks at those who run our government have faded a bit, as I have tried to remember the blessings I have.  Perhaps more than getting angry, I should pray, pray for forgiveness, not only for myself, but for the country.  Perhaps I should pray for Heavenly Father to help us love each other again, to be able to, as Lincoln put it, ‘”heal the wounds” we have.  I have never seen the level of hate we have right now in my short life, and I know I am guilty of it as well.  I think we all need to take a moment and reflect, and rather than a “National Day of Service”, we need a day of prayer and fasting.

Anyway- Peace, I’m out.

Photo Essay http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/iraq_war_families/