Celebrate This: Coming to Terms Over The Killing of Osama Bin Laden

It’s been over one week since we learned that Osama Bin Laden was killed by the US Navy’s mythical Seal Team Six while conducting Operation Neptune Spear halfway around the world. It is only now that I can begin to put into words the thoughts and emotions flung into motion on the first day of May, 2011.

In the hours and days that followed, celebrations, planned and unplanned broke out. All forms of media were energized by the dramatic death of the most notorious man of our time.

News commentators and pundits of all types repeatedly made the amusing gaffe of transposing “Obama and Osama” in their sheer excitement to proclaim the “good news.” As I listened to this, I chuckled and thought, why don’t we just call him Bin Laden? This way we can avoid sounding like Ted Kennedy.

Dad, What Is That? - A Recent Experience With Daughters, Public Decency And Car Cullions

Well some things are hard to write about. Some things are even harder to talk about. This one is both. However, something has been nagging me for over a month now and it’s time to let it all hang out, so to speak.

Wake Up Kevin, I Think I Have Something To Say To You

So, I am driving to Berkeley Saturday morning. Just this side of the Caldecott, I am listening to Rod Stewart singing Maggie May on a soft rock station out of Sacto, just at the edge of its broadcast range. The lane in front of me opens up and I accelerate to near light speed as I enter the tunnel.

The radio fades to a silent hiss.

In the audio stillness, with no car in front of me, I glide through the entire length of the bore in strange combination of peace, and soothing speed.

On the Oakland side, I emerge into the light and the radio suddenly comes to life. But, what I am hearing is comedy skit…in Portuguese. It sounds like I am listening to an episode of the "Honeymooners" in Portuguese!

This bizarre post-cold war Bay Area radio station punctuated the surreal experience of traveling through the tunnel, unabated and in silence, to a place in time unfamiliar to me. It was as though I had traveled through a wormhole from the 1970’s and emerged in the early 21^st Century in roughly the same location.

All told, a very strange experience.

A Midwinter Night in Clayton

(This is the unedited version of the article that was published in the Clayton Patch on February 8, 2011.)

This past Saturday night you may have noticed that the weather was more like a midsummer night's dream. Warm and clear, it seemed as though we were being charmed by this sublime event.

On this night, our daughter Stephanie is having her friend Natalie for a sleep over. For dinner, we decided to go out for pizza. As we left the house bound for Skipolini’s, I took note of the temperature, 70 degrees!

What Do You Mean I Have an Unexpected Item in the Bagging Area!

(This is the unedited version of the article that was published in the Clayton Patch on January 26, 2011.)

About six months ago, I stood inside the Clayton Safeway starring at the large newly arrived wooden crates. Staged next to the Starbucks kiosk, I was filled with both anticipation and anxiety as the installation crew began revealing their contents. I knew what was in them because I had asked about a week earlier.

Self check out had arrived at our local grocery store in Clayton.

The Season of Change

We are visiting my mother-in-law for her birthday. My daughter asks me all morning for a trip to the park. Curiously, I am interested in the park this day; I am compelled to get some fresh air, to see…to see the sky, the trees, and the clouds, to smell the day. The seemingly bleak autumn morning beckons me like an old friend from long ago…“let’s go out and play!” I think, perhaps, I might create some cool images of her playing. I gather my camera and a second lens. My daughter changes her clothes …twice.

THE NEW GENERATION OF SIGN-SPINNERS

Is it just me or is this the just plain ridiculous?

THE NEW GENERATION OF SIGN-SPINNERS

On Seeing Moon Shine

This short poem was inspired by a liminal moment experienced while driving home after midnight on May 27, 2010. I struggled for several days trying to get it to make sense for me; that is, to make the words express what I felt and saw that night. On the 30th I heard from the book of Proverbs (8:22) and the whole thing suddenly came into specific relief. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. Most of all though, I hope it reaches you with the vision I experienced that night. And, that these words give you reason to pause and reflect. Blessings.

Pelosi Gives the Word

Did you know that Nancy Pelosi practices her public policy consistent with her faith? I didn’t, until now. According to this article, the Speaker of the House’s favorite word is “The Word” made flesh, aka Jesus Christ.

I can not believe that so many Americans fall for this kind of dishonestly. Too many of us actually believe these lies. I also believe that many people know it to be totally dishonest and corrupt but will not turn from it because they have too much ego invested in it.

Does anybody else find this to just plain bizarre.

Click HERE for the full story

UK Man Not Charged in Assisted Suicide Death of His Wife

Western Culture is built upon compassion and respect for life, among other good things. This article is evidence of how that is all slipping away and there will be consequences if we do not deal with this. Excerpts from the article:

Prosecutor: “It was also clear that Mr. Bateman was wholly motivated by compassion.”

“We are becoming a society where the assessment of your quality of life hinges on what you can do, rather than respect for life itself.” – Mike Judge of the Christian Institute.

Click HERE for the story.

Pure Form Of Heroin Hitting Our Streets = Deaths

We have seen this before. Drug suppliers are letting a very pure form of heroin slip into the supply resulting in many overdose deaths. In my experience, this is sometimes the result of some Machiavellian scheme between drug lords or even nations in conflict. The result is that innocent people are killed. It is true that the victims are themselves committing a crime. However, their crime is one of self indulgence. It is true that they often resort to other crimes to finance their habit but they are still victims of murder. The intention behind letting the purer form of this illegal substance out is to produce deaths.

We should pray that those who are responsible for this act of murder are brought to justice and for an end to this madness. Then pray for those who are slaves to addiction may find help and salvation.

Click HERE for the story.

South Korea On Alert

It looks like North Korea actually did torpedo that South Korean ship last month. I can not imagine what the North Koreans are thinking. Now things are really heating up. Let us pray that this does not get out of hand and that the north’s evil regime is peacefully swept aside in favor of liberty.
Click on the image or HERE for the story.


Related stories

US plans naval exercises with South Korea: Pentagon

Clinton: Koreas security situation 'precarious'

Two Koreas snarl at each other, tensions rise

Mojave Cross Stolen After Supreme Court Victory

Christianity is under assault; this is evidence of that.


The removal of this cross probably has much deeper motivations than simply “vandalism.” I think anyone who has followed this story would have a hard time thinking otherwise.



Click on HERE or on the image for the full story.

Zombies Above Us

Did you know that there are Zombies overhead at this very moment? Zombie Satellites that is; they call them “ZombieSats”. See the paragraph near the middle of the article. They’re dead but still moving about. Somebody could make a video game where we get to blow them out of the sky.  Seriously, we could call it, “Left ‘in Orbit’ 4 Dead.” We could call the sequel, “Debris Rain of the Dead.”

Click HERE or on the image for the full story.

More Spying

The Brits, working with an American company, are working on a satellite that can track your “average” speed in your vehicle as go about you business.

If this kind of stuff does not scare you, you are too far gone.

Click HERE or on the image for the full story.