End the Fed Bill in Trouble

According to an news article yesterday, Federal Reserve Policy Audit Legislation ‘Gutted,’ Paul Says, Bloomburg (October 31, 2009), the "Audit the Fed" Bill pending before Congress is in deep trouble.

It appears that a Bank of America toady from North Carolina has damaged the bill unless it can be repaired on the House Floor. The action to gut the Bill was taken by Mel Watt (D. NC), from the 12th District in North Carolina. That district includes Charlotte, headquarters for Bank of America.

The bill, with 308 co-sponsors, has been stripped of provisions that would remove Fed exemptions from audits of transactions with foreign central banks, monetary policy deliberations, transactions made under the direction of theFederal Open Market Committee and communications between the Board, the reserve banks and staff, Paul said today.

“There’s nothing left, it’s been gutted,” he said in a telephone interview. “This is not a partisan issue. People all over the country want to know what the Fed is up to, and this legislation was supposed to help them do that.”

. . . .

Paul, a member of the House Financial Services Committee, said Mel Watt, a Democrat from North Carolina, has eliminated “just about everything” while preparing the legislation for formal consideration. Watt is chairman of the panel’s domestic monetary policy and technology subcommittee.

Keith Kelly, a spokesman for Watt, declined to comment and said Watt wasn’t immediately available for an interview. Watt’s district includes Charlotte, headquarters of Bank of America Corp., the biggest U.S. lender.

Watt can be contacted at the following addresses:

CHARLOTTE
1230 W. Morehead St.
Suite 306
Charlotte, NC
28208-5214
Tel. (704) 344-9950
Fax (704) 344-9971

WASHINGTON
2304 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC
20515-3312
Tel. (202) 225-1510
Fax (202) 225-1512

Keith Kelly
202-225-1510

email generator.

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Go Gamecocks

Afterburner the Vols

Joe Person's Blog, The State, said it best about the upcoming game at Rocky Top:

I’ve had my fill of the gas-pumping saga.

Enough talk about Lane Kiffin, I-40 rockslides, David Reaves’ recruiting tactics, and the other UT/USC storylines – few of which have any real bearing on Saturday’s game in Knoxville.

Time for some good, ol’ rompin’, stompin’ SEC football. Halloween night on Rocky Top.

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RON PAUL IS BACK IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Representative Ron Paul of Texas will deliver a lecture, “The Politics of Tolerance”, at the University of South Carolina on Monday, November 9 at 7:00 PM in the Carolina Coliseum.

His lecture will highlight the importance of civility and tolerance -- in politics and everyday life.

The event, sponsored by Midas Resources, is free and open to the public.

Young Americans for Liberty, Campaign for Liberty, the USC Honors College, and the Carolina Debate Union will host the lecture and encourages you to bring you and your family.

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Afghanistan: Matthew Hoh's Resignation Letter

Captain Matthew Hoh resigned as from his job serving in a key role within the United States Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. His four-page letter is embedded below.

Hoh speaks with the authority of a man with first hand knowledge. He served the last five months as Political Officer in Afghanistan. Before that, Hoh spent six years serving as a Marine Captain in Iraq.

Hoh's letter notes that 2009 marks the eighth year of United States involvement in Afghanistan--the same amount of time as the Soviet Union was embroiled in the country. Hoh describes the period as just another part of the ongoing thirty-five year civil war.

Hoh's letter explains his frustration about the increasingly muddled and confused American policies in the Afghanistan war. He questions the stated goals of fighting terrorism and states that the effort appears futile, and unworthy of the continuing sacrifice being made by our young soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen.

Matthew Hoh first US official to resign over Afghan War

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Tax Cuts Set to Expire Soon

The chart above shows how tax cuts spurred an economic expansion in the early part of this decade.

The Bush Tax Cuts are due to expire in 2011. In addition, more and more Americans will face tax increases as the Alternative Minimum Tax impacts more and more people due to creeping inflation.

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Taneyhill's 1992 Tennessee Halloween Victory

1992 Gamecock Team Upset Vols 24-23

Looking back at the overall 5-6 record, the 1992 season doesn't seem that special. But there was a lot of moments in that 1992 season that made it very special.

The season, the Gamecocks first year in the SEC, started off 0-5. Moreover the 1991 season had ended with a four game slide so the team was on a 9 game losing streak after the blowout loss at Alabama.

The Head Coach, Sparky Woods, was under pressure and he made some comments to the media after the Alabama game that upset his players. The players called a meeting. According to lore, the players took a vote in which a substantial percentage of the team voted for Woods to retire. The team then left the vote totals up on a board for Woods to see when they left the meeting room. The Columbia media got wind of it, and called it a "players revolt."

The upshot of the revolt was that Woods installed freshman Steve Taneyhill as his starting quarterback. The 1992 Gamecock team turned around the season and finished with five wins out of the last six games, including a victory at Clemson.

Along about half way through the turn-around winning streak, the Gamecocks faced a strong Tennessee team on Halloween. Before 1992, South Carolina had not beaten Tennessee since 1903. The 1992 game had one of the greatest plays in Gamecock history.

The play, called "the stop," took place as time was running out when the Volunteers were trying to tie the game on a two point conversion. It was made by linebacker Hank Campbell against the Volunteer's great running back, James "Little Man" Stewart. (Stewart was later selected in the 1st round of the NFL draft (19th overall) of the 1995 NFL Draft.)

The video below shows the Gamecocks making "the stop."

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Gamecocks Versus Volunteers

Vol Passing Attack Is A Serious Threat

The Gamecocks play the University of Tennessee Volunteers this coming Saturday night (Halloween) in Knoxville, Tennessee. This post looks at some of the statistics generated by the Volunteer offense, and produces the data in two interesting graphs.

At first blush, most college football fans acknowledge the Volunteer offense because of its bruising running game. However, the two graphs below illustrate a little known fact . . . the Volunteers have a very dangerous passing attack, an attack that is producing significantly more yardage than the running game.

On October 10, 2009, the Georgia Bulldogs discovered this fact first hand in a 45-19 Volunteer blowout victory. The Vols passed for 310 yards and four touchdowns against the Georgia pass defense.

Below are two graphs. They take a bit of focus because there are data on both of the Y axis. First the rushing graph.

The first graph shows the Volunteer offensive yardage (orange line) cross-referenced against the opponent's relevant NCAA FBS defensive rank shown by the bars.



Until it was held to just 76 yards rushing against the Alabama run defense, the Volunteer offense averaged a modest 144 yards per game against some pretty average run defenses. Average would be a fair way to describe the Gamecock run defense. (The Gamecock rushing defense is currently ranked 70th nationally.)

The next graph shows the Volunteer passing yardage. The Volunteer offense has thrown the ball well against some highly ranked passing defenses.

The Gamecock pass defense is ranked 3d nationally. Only the Florida (2) pass defense among the past Volunteer opponents is more highly ranked.

It will be interesting to see if the Gamecocks defense can play as well against the pass as did UCLA (ranked 25) and Florida early in the 2009 season. Both of those pass defenses held the Volunteers to only 93 yards. However, nobody has approached any level of defensive containment of the Volunteer passing attack recently. It generated 267 yards per game on average over the last four contests . . . including a 265-yard game against a very stout Alabama Crimson Tide defense.

Technorati Tags: Gamecocks, Volunteers, Rushing, Passing, Yardage, Graphs, Opponent, Ranks

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How the World Became a Corporation

Here is an interesting video by a writer who is looking into the issue of how corporatism in America affects interpersonal human relationships. He suggests the corporate structure undermines incentives for neighborly treatment of others and separates people from the fruits of their labor.

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Psalm 73--Walking With God

Keep a Spiritual Perspective

Our Bridgepointe Bible study group is studying the Psalms this quarter.

This week, we looked at Psalm 73, a poem about a man of God's internal struggle with perceived injustice. The writer, Esaph, was unhappy because God did not make his life easy, and he thought that arrogant, ungodly men had an easier time in life than did God's people.

Esaph didn't say anything to anyone about his feelings. However, Esaph's internal doubts about God's justice, hampered his relationship with God. It corrupted his heart and limited his walk—at least until Esaph discovered the joy of God's presence and gained a new perspective in life.

Esaph lived around 1,000 BC, at the time when King David was the leader of Israel. He was a member of the Levite Tribe.

When David became King, he made changes in Israel's ongoing worship practices. One of those, was installation of certain Levite musicians to tend to temple worship services. Asaph was one of the musicians appointed by King David. 1 Chronicles 6:31; 39.

Esaph is credited as the author of Psalm 73, and also eleven other Psalms (Psalms 74 - 83, and 50).

The beginning of Psalm 73 sites a truth about God. “God is indeed good to Israel, to the pure in heart.” Psalm 73:1. That truth represents the theme of Asaph's poem.

There is a lot of depth to the truth. The Lifeway Lesson Guide states that a pure heart means that a believer's heart is devoted exclusively to God. In the human experience, only God has the power to create a heart of that quality. See Heart of Stone, Heart of Flesh.

What happens when we choose to devote our hearts to God? The Lord stated, “Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God.” Matthew 5:8. Thus, Jesus promised that people with pure hearts will see (or experience a relationship with) God.

To achieve the fullness of this most important relationship in a person's life, one must trust the Lord above everything. Nothing in life—neither our family nor ourselves—should have a greater priority than dedication to God. See Luke 14:26. When a man makes God clearly first in his life, then his heart is pure, and then God's presence will be felt.

The story of Psalms 73 is about Esaph's impure heart. It was troubled. He did not fully trust God, because he, as he testified, was envious of the wealth and circumstances of others and he secretly thought God was being unjust.

2 But as for me, my feet almost slipped;
my steps nearly went astray.

3 For I envied the arrogant;
I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Psalm 73:2-3. Esaph felt jealous because God gave unbelievers perceived easy lives while he, the Levite, struggled. In Esaph's heart, he blamed God for the injustice.

13 Did I purify my heart
and wash my hands in innocence for nothing?

14 For I am afflicted all day long,
and punished every morning.

Psalm 73:13-14. Esaph doubted God's character as a person who is totally just. See Trusting God to Be Just.

Esaph recognized that he was not alone in doubting God's character of perfect justice. His Psalm testifies that many of God's people (past and future) are led astray by similar doubts:

10 Therefore His people turn to them
and drink in their overflowing waters.

11 They say, "How can God know?
Does the Most High know everything?

12 Look at them—the wicked!
They are always at ease,
and they increase their wealth.

Psalm 73:10-12. Esaph kept his feelings about the perceived injustice bottled up. He began to feel hopelessness.

15 If I had decided to say these things [aloud],
I would have betrayed Your people.

16 When I tried to understand all this,
it seemed hopeless

Psalm 73:15-16.

You get the picture from the first part of Psalm 73 that Esaph, one of David's worship leaders, was living a pretty miserable life. He was trying to be a good a servant of God, but on the inside he was twisted up with anger about what he felt was God's injustice toward him.

Then, attending worship one day, Esaph felt God's presence. The presence of God changed Esaph's perspective about everything. It seemed hopeless, “until I entered God's sanctuary.” Psalm 73:17.

In Psalm 73:26-28, Esaph focused on the blessings that accompany God's presence in one's life. He stated the new perspective about his eternal relationship with God made him a strong witness.

26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart,
my portion forever.

27 Those far from You will certainly perish;
You destroy all who are unfaithful to You.

28 But as for me, God's presence is my good.
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
so I can tell about all You do.

One of the interesting aspects of Psalm 73 is that Esaph re-discovered his relationship with God in the sanctuary.

The Lord stated in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there among them.” Perhaps this is one reason why the Bible teaches that believers should, "not stay[] away from our meetings." Hebrews 10:25. Psalm 73 suggests that even when believers enter the sanctuary with troubled hearts, they can still encounter God's presence. This testifies to the importance of finding a worship home where one can meet with other believers.

In verse 26, Esaph says, "God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever." (Emphasis added).

The reference to "my portion" suggests the Levite portion defined in Deuteronomy. Unlike the other eleven tribes of Israel, the Levites did not receive any land; however, their portion was the Lord.

At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the LORD's covenant, to stand before the LORD to serve Him, and to bless in His name, as it is today. For this reason, Levi does not have a portion or inheritance like his brothers; the LORD is his inheritance, as the LORD your God told him.

Deuteronomy 10:8-9.

Verse 26 thus reflects Esaph's new understanding that the Levite portion on a spiritual level was much greater than the physical land inherited by the other tribes. Believers would do well to discover, like Esaph did, that our portion, i.e, being with the Lord forever, is a great inheritance.

Technorati Tags: psalm, 73, relationship, with, god, worship, priority, pure, in, heart, see, god, lifeway, explore, the, bible, when, i, have, doubs

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End the Fed Update--Federal Reserve Accountability Act

Titans of Wall Street and Federal Reserve Behind New Senate Bill?

Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Bob Corker (R-TN) have introduced the Federal Reserve Accountability Act. The new Bill purports to require an audit the Federal Reserve. However, Corker's Bill waters down Representative Ron Paul's (R Tex) simple plan, and an already pending Senate Bill. See Senators craft dumbed-down Federal Reserve audit bill.

In the video below, Ron Paul addresses the new Senate Bill and speculates that the Wall Street power brokers and Federal Reserve are behind the Senators cosponsoring new Bill. He calls them "friends of Wall Street." He says the Senate Bill is an attempt to obstruct. Paul states he will resist the Senate Bill.

The Senate Bill excludes important areas from the Audit and permits the Federal Reserve to continue to operate in secret, particularly in its dealings with foreign central banks and foreign governments. It also permits the Federal Reserve to "white out" names of banks and people with whom it is dealing.

Senate Bill 604 (S 604), a proposed law that tracks Paul's companion Bill in the House (H.R.1207), is cosponsored by 30 Senators including South Carolina Senators Jim DeMint and Lindsey Graham.

Representative Paul also addresses South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham's claim Paul is attempting to "hijack" the Republican Party.

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Nuclear Power School

Summary of NAVY NF Schools

Emily intends to get through Navy Boot Camp around the beginning of 2010. She has joined the Navy with the intent of becoming a Nuclear Field (NF) Machinist Mate. Here is a short rundown of the schooling she gets in the first year and a half in the Navy.

When she makes it through Boot Camp, Emily will then be ordered to her A-School. After A-School, she will be assigned to Nuclear Power School. Finally, she will be assigned to the Nuclear Power Training Unit.

This post looks at the three enlisted NF schools on her horizon. I interspersed the school descriptions (which I re-wrote for clarity and brevity) with some unedited testimony from "ex-Navy nuc" who posted about his experience on the Internet.

Machinist Mate Nuclear Field A-School
Charleston, SC
(3 months)

This course provides basic knowledge of technical mathematics and a basic understanding of the theory and operation of a steam power plant. Students learn to operate tools, test equipment, and system components; read blueprints; practice rigging techniques; and perform maintenance procedures such as packing a valve or aligning a pump coupling.

Nuke Power School School
Charleston, SC
6 months

This school teaches sailors about a pressurized-water Naval nuclear power plants. Students will learn such exotic technologies as (1) reactor core nuclear principles, (2) thermodynamics, i.e., heat transfer and fluid systems, (3) plant chemistry, and (4) materials, mechanical and electrical systems, and radiological controls. Cool and weird stuff.

TESTIMONY

Ex-Navy Nuc here.

Reactor Operator, no less.
It's a mentally TOUGH program. Nuc Power School in one of the toughest technical schooling programs in the nation, getting mentioned in the same breath with Cal Tech and MIT (though not QUITE as hard as those two!). If your son [daughter] is serious about it, the program will teach him [her] study habits that [s]he never had before, and will not only fill his [her] head with knowledge that has application over a lifetime, but will teach him [her] things about his [her] own ability to achieve.

The program has a HIGH washout rate, but even washouts tend to excel in other programs, and in life.

Essentially, take a BS degree in nuclear physics, add in secondary majors in Electronics, Electricity, and Hydro-Mechanical systems, strip out all the 'soft' sciences and humanities stuff, and cram it into six months. That's school-phase.

Nuclear Power Training Unit
Ballson Spa, NY or Charleston, SC
6 months

This course amounts to a laboratory where students put to practical use the theoretical knowledge they have gained in the first two schools. Students are assigned duties in simulators. An instructor inputs failures, events, and emergencies that require the students to react under pressure. Naturally, the laboratories teach the sailors oral communications skills.

The Nuclear Power Training Unit teaches sailors unique knowledge of how to safely operate a complex Naval nuclear power plant. They learn about practical dangers of nuclear radiation, and how exposure to radiation hurts human beings and organic matter. NF sailors in training work with NF Officers in training. Everyone learns command and communication skills so when they hit the fleet these NF navy personnel can efficiently operate a nuclear watch team in case of a crisis. Enlisted students have to learn to deal with uptight Officers under the watchful eye of the Chief.

After successful completion of the Power Training Unit, selected MM graduates are given additional training as Engineering Laboratory Technicians or Propulsion Plant Operator Welders. Emily is hoping she is assigned for training as the latter.

TESTIMONY

Ex-Navy Nuc here.

Now take all that theoretical knowledge, and put it to the test in a REAL reactor, under the watchful eyes of instructors. That's Prototype-phase.

Not everyone that can hack the school can hack the prototype. Some people simply cannot convert theory to practice, which is why there are two sections to the schooling. I watched the #2 guy in my class (8501) rock-out (fail) of prototype because he couldn’t absorb the material from the technical manuals, and wound up falsifying his point count to avoid remediation. Bad idea! On the other hand, I watched the class anchor (lowest academic scores in school) do quite handily in prototype - not a genius level performance, but quite creditable.

So - Six months or so of school, six months or so of prototype, and if he makes it, it's off to the fleet, where he'll have to learn a whole new reactor design all over, but he'll have the basic know-how, will have done it once before, and will have both longer, and more help in getting qualified.

TESTIMONY about Nucs in the Fleet

Ex-Navy Nuc here.

Nucs work hard and long - we're the first to arrive before sailing, and the last to leave, after hitting port, but it's a prestigious job, one that gets premium enlistment and reenlistment bonuses, and get specialty pay as well.

Nucs have a very high divorce rate - the job is long ,hard, and stressful, above and beyond most jobs in the Nav. Best advice for any young Nuc is "wait - get married AFTER you make 1st Class." Advancement is fast - Nucs are smart, and kick butt on their tests, and they're technically oriented, so do well elsewhere in their duties, typically getting pretty good Evals.

After the Nav, the mental attitudes and skills I learned have landed me a VERY good job doing something almost completely unrelated to nuclear power. The study skills, troubleshooting skills, and willingness to simple buckle down and get the job done are extremely valuable to my employer, and keep a roof over my family's head quite handily.

I loved every second of the job, even when I was cursing it with a fine rage. I miss it, and would go back in a second, if I weren't old, out of shape, and with a family.

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RNC Supports Dierdre Scozzafava

She is a Bailout Republican in Name Only

The Republican Party has run into a fire storm in New York over its selection of Dierdre K. Scozzafava.

Republicans have tried to tap into the Tea Party movement by sliding into the speaker's list at ralleys. However, the movement is resisting attempts by Republicans to co-opt the freedom movement, particularly when voting records indicate the politician is nothing more than your typical big government Republican.

Knowing the momentum of the movement has inspired huge protests, the Republican leadership including Micahel Steele, still hand-picked Scozzafava. Newt Gingrich endorsed her. The Republican National Committee also confirmed Friday that it was making a six-figure transfer to the National Republican Campaign Committee to help in that race.

Scozzafava supports big government Democrat policies such as massive tax increases and the Democrat-sponsored Union legislation called “card check.” That Card Check proposed law would create legal advantages for organizing workplaces by eliminating secret ballots in union campaigns. She has raised taxes so frequently in the past that even her Democrat opponent is using her history of voting for tax increases against her. She also supported President Obama's Trillion Dollar stimulus//porkulus law enacted earlier this year, and the $700 Billion Wall Street Bailout.

Scozzafava is affiliated with government entangled organizations like ACORN and the SEIU.

She is also pro abortion and refused to respond to questions about whether she might support health care reform that included federal funding for abortion. In a debate, Scozzafava indicated she would favor public funding for abortion. Faced with tough questions about that issue by a Weekly Standard reporter, Scozzafava called the police. She was also a member of the Planned Parenthood Board. Here is a YouTube video of her accepting March 10th, 2008, Margaret Sanger Award.

In response, Republicans have created a split in the party between the liberal RNC candidate, Scozzafava, and a conservative candidate, Doug Hoffman. Tea Party blogs across the nation are linking Doug Hoffman for Congress and Dump Dede to their sites. St. Louis Tea Party.

The RNC has entered a battle with Tea Party freedom fighters. This controversy over a New York's 23d district shows that the RNC leadership continues to be completely out of touch with the freedom movement.

Technorati Tags: tea, party, dierdre, Scozzafava, new, york, 23rd, district, rnc, rino, michael, steel, newt, gingrich

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Gamecocks Against Commodores

Commodore Line Stuffed Gamecocks in 4th Quarter Last Year

Considering a schedule that includes contests against the conferences best rushing defenses, Mississippi State (4th), Ole Miss (8th), LSU (6th) and Georgia (5th), Vanderbilt still has a statistically respectable seventh best rushing offense. It averages 179.57 yards per game on the ground.

The Commodore running game this year has been at times spectacular, and at times less so. Take the spectacular game against Western Carolina when the Commodores amassed 433 yards rushing. That's a huge rushing total against anybody. On the other hand, Mississippi State held Vanderbilt to just 33 rushing yards.

The chart below illustrates the rushing yardage by opponent for the Vanderbilt offense.

After giving up 264 yards rushing against the conferences best running team, Alabama, the Gamecocks have now slipped to 9th in the conference in rushing defense. (See the garnet bars on the chart, which show a bad trend.)

Gamecock fans probably remember the 24-17 loss to Vanderbilt in 2008. The Vanderbilt offense received a punt with 2:34 left in the game, and it ran the clock out by rushing the ball six times for two first downs and 23 yards. They stuffed it down the throat of the Gamecock defense.

After the game, Vanderbilt tailback Jared Hawkins, who rushed for a game-high 84 yards on 17 carries, stated: "We're trying to let people know we're not a blow-off game and we're not a blow-off team. We're going to come out and we're going to hit you in the mouth."

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the Vanderbilt coaches' 2009 game plan. Turn the game over to the big uglies.

Vandy has a big, salty offensive line. Vandy will start four redshirt seniors and a redshirt junior across their line. The line is anchored by a huge right guard, Eric Hensley (6-6 / 322).

Vanderbilt is dealing with injuries on the line this week. Thomas Welch (6-7 / 310), a senior tackle, is reported as questionable with a sprained ankle. If Welch cannot play, the Commodores will play Ryan Seymore (6-5 / 294), a redshirt freshman. The starting tight end, Austin Monahan (6-7 / 255), has been lost for the season.

Bobby Johnson is going to try to pound out rushing yards against a Gamecock defense that has appeared vulnerable to ground attacks. Johnson let everybody know after the 2008 game that he was not terribly impressed by the Gamecock team.

"I was surprised so many people thought it would be real hard for us to beat them," Johnson said. "We beat them last year [2007], and I don't know why everybody thought they got so much better than we were getting."

On Saturday, Johnson turned his criticism against his own offensive line, which allowed the Georgia defense to harry the Vandy quarterback. According to The Tennessean, a Nashville newspaper, the Vanderbilt linemen were none too pleased. "When Vanderbilt returns to the practice field Tuesday in preparation for this week's trip to South Carolina, don't expect the offensive line to be in a pleasant mood."

Hopefully, the Gamecocks defense will stuff the Commodores running game, despite a highly motivated and angry Vandy O-line. The Gamecocks need to give Bobby Johnson, a former Clemson coach, some reason to pay the Gamecocks a bit of respect. After two years of futility against Vanderbilt, it is high time Johnson got his comeuppance from the Gamecocks. More importantly, the Gamecocks really need to sneak out of this dangerous game with their sixth win of the season.

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Psalm 56--the Cave of Adullam

How A Man Can Defeat Fear

David was on the run from the King's men. They were chasing David down to kill him. David went into a cave in Adullam afraid for his future.

When he went into the cave, David's life wasn't worth a plug nickle because King Saul was trying to kill him. David was innocent, but Saul had all the resources of the Kingdom at his disposal, and King Saul didn't give a flip about David's innocence.

David, alone and scared in a cave, made a decision. As unjust and as bad as his circumstance seemed, David would trust God and stop being afraid. He went in scared and alone, but David came out of the cave with no fear. He would trust the Lord to take care of him.

Many people in America are like King David in the cave at Adullam—afraid. They are afraid of what the future will hold.

Psalm 56 is David's testimony about how he defeated fear by deciding to trust in God.

David shows us in Psalm 56 that you can trust the Lord in the face of a hopeless, dire, and unjust situation. This post looks at David's story, and shows us how Psalm 56 is a model for us in similar situations.

David became famous amongst the Hebrew people when he, as a youth, defeated the Philistines champion, Goliath, a nine feet, nine inch giant. Goliath taunted the Hebrew army across the valley, and he taunted their God. David heard the taunts and asked King Saul for permission to meet the challenge and fight Goliath. David knew then that the living God would protect him against Goliath.

After David defeated Goliath, the Hebrew army routed the Philistines and chased them back to their land. The army returned to Jerusalem and the women greeted the returning army with a song:

Saul has killed his thousands,
but David his tens of thousands.

1 Samuel 18:7. The song made King Saul jealous of David. Still, David became a Commander for Saul and fought many battles for him against the enemies of Israel.

Over the same period, King Saul chose more and more often not to follow the God's plan. Saul began to do his own thing in battles and in worship. The spirit of the Lord left Saul, and Saul became plagued by evil spirits, evil plans, and unwarranted suspicions.

Saul began to imagine that David, who was working for Saul as a Commander of the Army, was conspiring against him. Psalm 56:5-6 suggest that Saul listened slander about David. Saul became convinced that David was conspiring to take his Kingdom. Therefore, Saul decided to murder David before David could become King. David was forced to flee for his life. 1 Samuel 20.

David fled to Gath, a Philistine city, Goliath's home town. Alone in Gath, some of the Philistine people there identified David and reported his presence to King Achish. David was summoned before the King of Gath. David feigned insanity so that King Achish would not recognize him. 1 Samuel 21:10-14. Achish let David go.

No longer safe as an anonymous refugee in Gath, David fled again. Eventually, David, “took refuge in the cave of Adullam.” 1 Samuel 22:1.

You get a sense that David was desperately afraid when he entered that cave in Adullam. However, God (Jesus ) commands followers not to worry:

Learn how the wildflowers of the field grow: they don't labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these! If that's how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won't He do much more for you—you of little faith? So don't worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:28-34. In the cave, David showed us how to stop worrying. We just need to decide to trust God. In Psalm 56:3-4; 10-11, David wrote:

When I am afraid,
I will trust in You.

In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
----
In God, whose word I praise,
in the LORD, whose word I praise,

In God I trust; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?

If we strengthen our faith by trusting God more, then we can, like David, get rid of our fears. Sometimes our situation can get pretty scary, but I doubt that it often is as dire as David's circumstance. If David could trust in God hiding out in a cave while authorities were hunting him down, maybe we can too. We should follow David's model as an inspiration for our own circumstance.

In Psalm 56:13 David concludes the Psalm (song or prayer):

You delivered me from death,
even my feet from stumbling,
to walk before God in the light of life.

In reading Psalm 56, you get a sense that when David emerged from the cave of Adullam with a peace and confident assurance. He knew God would take care of his future no matter what happened. Psalm 56 shows us how we should pray about our fears when we face adversity.

Technorati Tags: David, Fear, Trust, Jesus, God, Lifeway, Explore, the, Bible, When, You, Are, Afraid

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Review of Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story

Moore's Movie Great, But It Misses Target

My sons and I went to an interesting movie last weekend, Capitalism: A Love Story.

The website describes the movie as a story about, “the disasterous impact of corporate dominance on the everyday lives of Americans.” In my opinion, this is definitely a movie worth watching. Here is my review and analysis.

Number one, I want to compliment Michael Moore. He does a superb job of laying out his argument against socialist corporatism. Oops, that isn't his title is it? Moore calls the bogey man, “capitalism.” However, what he is really attacking is more accurately described as socialist corporatism or crony capitalism. More on that issue later.

Moore's movie starts with a definition of capitalism. “A system of giving and taking . . . mostly taking.” The actual definition of capitalism incorporates the idea of a "free market." The free market environment is lacking in America so we do not have true capitalism here. Truly, we have a system of socialist corporatism, and that is a corrupt system worthy of Moore's critical movie.

Moore starts off the movie by advocating on behalf of unions. He sites Congressional testimony by Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger III, the hero pilot who saved lives by landing a disabled aircraft in the Hudson River. Sully stated that cost cutting in the U.S. airline industry may jeopardize passenger safety and the quality of aviators that carriers hire. Moore then shows how the salaries for some pilots flying some non-unionized commuter airlines are so low that the pilots must find second jobs or apply for food stamps to make ends meet.

Moore then turns his attention to a despicable practice (by a long list of giant American corporations) of buying life insurance policies on the lives of employees. Moore sites several specific examples and reveals that the industry calls the life insurance policies, “dead peasant insurance." Moore shows us several internal corporate documents in which bean counters lament the low mortality rates among their employees.

Moore next interviews several Catholic priests and bishops who state that capitalism is a sin. The priests state that capitalism is unjust and evil.

Next Moore describes how deregulation of the banking industry created an “insane casino” called the derivatives market. Moore interviews finanicial experts who stumble with trying to describe how derivatives work, and who boast that they are too complicated for government regulators to understand. Moore shows how deregulation and derivatives are destructive practices that permitted bankers to “bet on our homes.” He shows how prominent Senators, including Democrat Chris Dodd, received sweetheart deals from Countrywide as “friends of Angelo” to overlook the dangers to America. Moore asserts that the economy collapsed due to the insane casino, causing massive unemployment amongst the peasants.

Finally, Moore deals with the $700 Billion bailout of Wall Street (triggered by the economic collapse). Moore played clips of “Chicken Little himself” (i.e., George Bush). The movie showed how the main stream media drank the alleged economic collapse koolaid.

Moore interviewed two politicians, Marcy Kaptur (D. OH) and Elijah E. Cummings (D. MD). They suggested that the timing of an alleged banking emergency linked to a $700 Billion bailout just before an election was orchestrated and planned by Wall Street capitalists. Moore said he would call what happened in September 2008 a "financial coup d'etat." Representative Kaptur (D OH) says, “I agree.”

Moore concludes his movie by suggesting that the greatest fear of major corporations is that the peasants may exercise their democratic voting rights and end the corrupt capitalistic system. Moore offers hope that the election of President Barack Obama indicates the people are finally rising up against capitalism (corporatism).

Ominously, Moore points out that the jury is still out on Obama as a leader. Moore shows that these same corporations have paid millions to the Obama's campaign. He hints that President Obama could fail to act as the leader the people need. Moore's notes that Obama appointed Tim Geithner as Treasury Secretary. The movie describes Geithner as a person, "who has pretty much been a failure in everything he has ever done." It describes Geithner as a puppet of the Wall Street capitalists.

Moore's movie is great except for one glaring problem. He does not attack the true problem in America which is socialistic corporatism. Libertarians and socialists and all of the American people (except our politicians) should agree that corporatism is a deadly problem in America.

The big corporations hire lobbyists to protect their own interests in their respective industries. The lobbyists go to Washington, D.C. and influence lawmakers to pass laws that give special advantage to the corporations. So, in essence what we have is corporations cozy in bed with the government while Joe Citizen sleeps naked on the floor.

Marc Gallagher, Michael Moore: It’s not Capitalism, silly man; It’s Corporatism, Liberty Maven (Sep. 25, 2009).

Interested in the problem of corporatism? A piece by Anthony Gregory, Corporatism and Socialism in America, Freedom Daily (Nov. 2004), nicely summarizes the historical disintegration of the American free market into socialist corporatism.

Moore's movie advocates for a grass roots uprising by the people. In my opinion, that uprising phenomenon is best represented by the Tea Party movement. Moore's movie about exposing corporatism and crony capitalism should be watched by all freedom loving Tea Party folks. His ideas about corporatism could harnessed to a proper definition of the true problem in America, crony capitalism. Moore's criticisms of corporatism could be linked to the real American cause célèbre—greater liberty and freedom in America.

Technorati Tags: michael, moore, socialistic, corporatism, capitalism, a, love, story, review

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Good Health Care Reform Revised Questions

The People Have Questions website took a Poll on Top Ten Questions about the Obama Administration's push for health care reform. The questions are extremely biased and are drawn up more for rhetorical purposes than getting actual answers. I selected some of the better questions below and rewrote them so they are fairer and more likely to encourage a response.

1. The Congressional Budget Office estimates for the published health care legislative proposals have indicated these laws would create deficits of hundreds of billions of dollars over 10 years. Presumably, the Administration is working closely with our Congress. What specific changes to the laws has the Administration recommended to eliminate the deficits the proposed laws would cause if enacted in their present form? Secondly, will you veto any bill that is not deficit neutral?

2. The Senate health care reform bill now includes over $100 billion in cuts to Medicare. The Congressional Budget Office told senators that the cuts in the Senate bill WILL reduce health care benefits to seniors. What is the Administration proposing to protect seniors' benefits? Would President Obama veto a bill that cuts benefits to seniors?

3. Interstate competition among health insurance companies would be likely to reduce health care costs and reduce the number of uninsured. Do you agree that interstate competition should be a component of health insurance reform?

4. At a July 29, 2009, town hall meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina, President Obama said he would be, "available to answer any question that members of Congress have. If they want to come over to the White House and go over line by line what's going on, [he] will be happy to do that." However, when Congressman Phil Roe sent two letters asking you for a time and place to conduct this line by line review, the Administration did not provide a meeting time. Does President Obama plan to keep the promise he made in North Carolina and hold a serious line by line review of proposed health care legislation?

5. A lot of Republicans claim medical malpractice reform is needed to reduce health care costs. However, South Carolina and many states have already enacted very tough medical malpractice tort reform statutes. If the federal government legislates in this area, will the federal laws displace State reforms like those in South Carolina? Is it possible the federal laws would actually weaken malpractice limits in States like South Carolina.

6. A lot of doctors claim they have to order unnecessary tests because of defensive medicine and fear of lawsuits. Don't the hospitals and doctors make a lot of money by ordering those tests? Is it possible that the corporations that own the medical practices are just using the alleged fear of medical malpractice as an excuse to make a lot of money ordering unneeded tests? If so, what can we do to stop this unfair practice?

7. Many States like South Carolina have enacted tough medical malpractice laws. However, the medical malpractice premiums the insurance companies charge the doctors and hospitals here have not gone down even though there are very few medical malpractice lawsuits in South Carolina. What can the federal government do better than the State to regulate the insurance companies that are charging apparently unnecessarily high premiums to the doctors?

Technorati Tags: health, care, reform, questions, medical, malpractice

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Senator Graham's Town Hall Meeting in Greenville

Graham-Paul Rift Reveals Split in Republican Base

Earlier this week, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham held a town hall style meeting on the campus of Furman here in Greenville. Several Tea Party protesters showed up to heckle Graham. While the lack of decorum was unfortunate, Senator Graham seemed to become unnerved by the heckling, and he made at least two ill-conceived statements.

First, Graham asserted the Republican Party was not the party of "angry white guys." His remark suggests Graham adopts the liberal viewpoint that Tea Party protesters are racially motivated cretins upset by the election of a black President. That assertion was far from the truth. Tea Party folks are racially, socially, and sexually diverse people, primarily independent. Graham's comment was an unfair stereotype.

Graham also annoyed some by stating that Ron Paul would not "take over" the Republican party. Senator Graham sincerely believes that the Republican party cannot grow unless it moves toward the political center occupied by people like former presidential candidate John McCain. However, Ron Paul's ideas are refreshing and bear consideration. Indeed, Ron Paul has an army of young people who love him.

In the video below, Congressman Ron Paul reacts to Senator Lindsey Graham's remarks. Paul rebuts Graham's emotional, foolish comments about preserving a stodgy Republican Party devoid of ideology.

Technorati Tags: Senator, Lindsey, Graham, Greenville, Town, Hall, Furman, Ron, Paul, Angry, White, Guys, Takeover

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Regarding Nobel Peace Price

President Obama's Email

Edwin --

This morning, Michelle and I awoke to some surprising and humbling news. At 6 a.m., we received word that I'd been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009.

To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.

But I also know that throughout history the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes.

That is why I've said that I will accept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations and all peoples to confront the common challenges of the 21st century. These challenges won't all be met during my presidency, or even my lifetime. But I know these challenges can be met so long as it's recognized that they will not be met by one person or one nation alone.

This award -- and the call to action that comes with it -- does not belong simply to me or my administration; it belongs to all people around the world who have fought for justice and for peace. And most of all, it belongs to you, the men and women of America, who have dared to hope and have worked so hard to make our world a little better.

So today we humbly recommit to the important work that we've begun together. I'm grateful that you've stood with me thus far, and I'm honored to continue our vital work in the years to come.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

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Alabama's Last Loss

Utah Whipped Them in 2009 Sugar Bowl

It looks like the Utes did in the Tide with a lot of quick passes to backs underneath, and to receivers trying to use man to man coverage. The final score was 31–17.

On defense, the Utes had success sacking Alabama QB McElroy Wilson by using speed rushes to the outside, and blitzes inside as Alabama's tackles tried to block the speed rush. In Cliff Matthews and Eric Norwood, the Gamecocks have two of the best outside speed rushers in the nation.

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Steve Spurrier's Letter to the Editor

On October 13, 2009, Steve Spurrier wrote a letter to the editor of the Daily Gamecock, the Carolina student newspaper. The letter thanked the students for the fantastic atmosphere present at the Ole Miss game. The text of Spurrier's letter is below.

While standing in Williams-Brice Stadium during the final minutes of our win over No. 4 Mississippi, you could truly feel the power of an energized crowd. The environment created that night showcased South Carolina to the nation as the country’s best home-field advantage.

It’s fair to say the student section led the way in willing the Gamecocks to a historic victory against Mississippi. Several of our players commented that the crowd made a definite impact on Mississippi’s execution.

Our goal of building a nationally prominent program cannot be achieved without creating a home atmosphere that is feared by visiting opponents. As we move into the heart of the SEC schedule, our players will need your support more than ever.
Competing in the toughest conference in the nation, every game is a challenge. Support like you showed that Thursday night will be vital to bringing the successes we all desire.

Thank you for energy, your voices and your spirit. You are the best!

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Homecoming in Alabama

Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back of former residents and alumni of an institution.

Because so many high profile folks are making a special trip, it is important that an Athletic Department choose an opponent that the team can easily beat. A weak opponent is best because the football team will win the game and everyone here at Homecoming will be happy and in a good frame of mind for the festivities. A loss would be a downer, and a depressing situtation. Therefore, slating an easy game for Homecoming is really important.

In 1992, South Carolina's inaugural season in the Southeastern Conference, Alabama columnist and talk show host Paul Finebaum suggested that Sparky Woods' 0-5 USC team should be ejected from the league. Finebaum said the Gamecock football program, "was deader than Bear Bryant."

Nationally ranked number 2 Alabama has decided that South Carolina will be their homecoming opponent this coming Saturday.

Go Gamecocks.

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My Review of A Song of Ice and Fire

Fantasy/Sci-Fi Series by George R. R. Martin

Last night, I finished reading A Feast for Crows, the fourth book of George R. R. Martin's “A Song of Ice and Fire" series. I figured it would be fun to write a brief review of the series.

The setting for the series of books is a mythical land of knights and Kings of the Seven Kingdoms. A lot of the book is about the political machinations in the land called Seven Kingdoms, and the wars and conflicts it produces.

Of course, the politics in this place make our American politics look extremely lame. Here, if you run afoul of the Kings, your tongue can be cut off, you might lose your head, or you can be placed in a freezing cold, three-walled cell on a pinnacle with a slanting, icy floor tilted toward the open edge. The latter cell can drive a man insane.

The wars in the series are fought mostly with hand to hand combat--although descriptions of the actual fighting are pretty infrequent. Sometimes magic, "wild fire," or poison is used to influence battles and kill off and/or weaken key characters.

Mostly, the book tells about the people and their conflicts, their fears, and their scheming. It is the character development in this context that makes Martin's series compelling. His characters are internally conflicted, struggling with temptations and oaths, as well their external conflicts with other characters, or the environment itself.

There are monsters in the book too. In the north, there are what Martin calls "wights." These formerly dead creatures are difficult to kill with conventional weapons. You need dragon glass to do them damage, and that stuff is pretty rare. The wights are encroaching from the frozen north (ice). Meanwhile, wars in the Seven Kingdoms keep most decision-makers in the Seven Kingdoms oblivious, and the resources needed to stop the advance of the wights occupied.

To the south of the Seven Kingdoms, is a beautiful teenage Queen named Daenerys. She is a possible fulfillment of ancient prophecies. Dany controls three dragons, and is amassing a huge army of freed slaves, who are intensely loyal to her for giving them freedom. She is slowly preparing for a glorious return to the Seven Kingdoms with her army and her dragons (fire). Again, as with the wights, the factions in the "Seven Kingdoms" are too busy fighting amongst themselves to pay much attention to this encroaching threat.

You can find a sample of the Martin series here.

I've read four of these huge, page-turner books. The fourth, A Feast for Crows, was 978 pages, not counting the detailed Appendix. If you like fantasy series like those by Robert Jordan or Terry Goodkind, then you will probably enjoy Martin's, “A Song of Ice and Fire” series.

Martin has been writing professionally since 1971. He worked in Hollywood as a writer producer for The Twilight Zone and Beauty and the Beast. In the mid 1990s, he started writing the epic fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire. He has been writing about the Seven Kingdoms since.

PS: The first book was A Game of Thrones, published by Bantam Books, in 1996. The fifth book, A Dance with Dragons, is due to be published in circa January 2010.

Technorati Tags: song, of, fire, and, ice, george, martin, clash, of, kings, a, feast, for, crows, review

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Gamecocks Defeat Kentucky 28-26

When I wrote Cartier Rice Returns to South Carolina last week, I did not know he would figure into the biggest play of the game. Here is how the play was described in The State newspaper.

With USC clinging to a 2-point lead with less than four minutes to play, coaches called a play-action pass to fullback Patrick DiMarco on third down from the Gamecocks' 26. When DiMarco was bumped at the line of scrimmage and covered by a Kentucky defender, Garcia ran toward the Wildcats' sideline and hurdled cornerback Cartier Rice to reach the first-down marker.

"I saw the little cornerback there, and I wasn't about to be stopped," Garcia said.

Kentucky defensive tackle Corey Peters, who had a career-high 2.5 sacks, said it was disappointing the Wildcats could not get off the field.

"At the same time, we have to give South Carolina credit," Peters said. "Their quarterback made a great play on third down when he jumped."

Garcia, Jeffery jump-start USC over UK, The State (Oct. 11, 2009).

Steve Brown, the Kentucky Defensive Coordinator, put a lot of faith into his young, inexperienced cornerbacks, sophmore Randall Burden and freshman Martavious Neloms.

In his post-game press conference, Gamecock Head Ball Coach Steve Spurrier suggested the offense was able to isolate those inexperienced cornerbacks in one on one coverage against Alshon Jeffrey.

Jeffrey made the Kentucky defensive coordinator pay big time hauling in three touchdown passes.

In the end, Burden was out with an injury and it came down to whether sophomore Cartier Rice could stop Garcia and force the Gamecocks into punting. A punt would have given Kentucky the ball back with about two minutes to play. A field goal by Kentucky would have won the game for the Wildcats.

That was when Garcia made "The Leap."

Here is a little slide show in thanks to the play of Jeffrey and Garcia. Congratulations, Gamecocks.

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Psalm 51: The Hyssop Plant

King David's Prophetic Vision

Back on November 16, 2008, I wrote about a story in Samuel about King David, King David Murders Uriah. That November post recounted how David schemed to avoid the technicality of murder as it was defined by God's law. However, David's machinations were to no avail, God saw the crime for what it was--murder.

That background brings us to my review of an incredible prophetic psalm penned by the same King David, Psalm 51. In Psalm 51, David pleads for God's forgiveness for the sin of murder, and then lifts the name of God in praise for his promise of restorative forgiveness.

Psalm 51:7, which describes how David asks God to cleanse his spirit of sin, is the verse of our focus here:

Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

David likely wrote this Psalm about 1,000 BC. It is facinating that David chose the hyssop plant as a symbol of what God would use to purify his sin. The reference could only have reflected David's devine inspiration.

The first Bibical reference to a hyssop plant is found in Exodus 12:22:

Take a cluster of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and brush the lintel and the two doorposts with some of the blood in the basin. None of you may go out the door of his house until morning.

The context of that verse was Egypt during the days of bondage. Moses pled with Pharaoh to release the Hebrew people from bondage. Ten plagues struck Egypt, but Pharaoh would not let the Hebrew people go. Finally, the worst plague of all came, death of the firstborn child; however, death would strike the firstborn of every household in Egypt (even Hebrew homes) unless steps were taken to secure salvation.

God, through Moses, told the people how to keep death from taking their firstborn children. They were instructed in a sacrifice, a young male lamb or goat without blemish. Before the Angel of Death was unleashed on Egypt, the Hebrew people were to use the hyssop plan to brush the blood of the sacrifice across their doors.

The blood on the houses where you are staying will be a distinguishing mark for you; when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No plague will be among you to destroy [you] when I strike the land of Egypt.

Exodus 12. In the Jewish religion, this event in history is remembered with the passover celebration.

The Bible teaches us today that the blood of the passover lamb was merely symbolic for the Jewish Messiah, Jesus Christ, who died for all of our sins. "For Christ our Passover has been sacrificed." 1 Cor. 5:7. Indeed, when John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching, he exclaimed: "Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29.

In the context of Psalm 51, written in 1,000 BC, King David seeks God's forgiveness of his sin in murdering Uriah. Using the Hyssop plant in the Psalm, David indirectly connects the requirement of a substitutionary sacrifice (shedding of blood) in exchange for forgiveness of sin. The Bible teaches "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." Hebrews 9:22.

God is love. However, perfect love is just one aspect of God's character. He is also perfectly moral and perfectly just.

The Rock—His work is perfect;
all His ways are entirely just.
A faithful God, without prejudice,
He is righteous and true.

Deuteronomy 32:4 (emphasis added).

Thus, God must have justice for our sins. That is why he sent a Messiah and provided a sacrifice for us in Himself, Christ.

For the Messiah did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model of the true one) but into heaven itself, that He might now appear in the presence of God for us. He did not do this to offer Himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another. Otherwise, He would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment — so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.

Hebrews 9:24-28.

King David recognizes in Psalm 51 that God must work a miracle to renew a relationship with him. "God, create a clean heart for me." Psalm 51:10. About 1,000 years before Jesus died on the cross for our sins, King David relied upon God's provision, an atoning future sacrifice, for forgiveness of his sin.

Amazing.

Technorati Tags: Psalm, 51, david, forgiveness, hyssop, passover, lamb, jesus, christ, sacrifice, justice, Lifeway, when, I, have, sinned,

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Generals Fall to TR DevilDogs 45-35

Quarter of Futility Spells Doom

The Homecoming night started out sweet. The weather was nice, and the Generals offense methodically drove the ball 59 yards in 11 plays for a touchdown on their opening possession of the game to take a seven zip lead over the Travelers Rest Devildogs.

But it wasn't long before sheets of rain came. The rain wasn't the ugliest part. That was the rest of the first quarter.

In it, the Devildogs lit up the Generals for 31 unanswered points to build up an insurmountable 31-7 lead.

It wasn't all the defense's fault. The chart below depicts the five failed offensive drives during that quarter of futility:



The Generals made a strong effort to come back. The offense got it together and scored 21 unanswered points to make the score 31-28 with over ten minutes left in the third quarter.

However, the defense lost two important leaders in the third quarter, linebacker Mackenzie Battle (back) and strong safety A. J. Henderson (ankle). In the end, the defense wore down and was unable to slow the Devildog running game. The Devildogs made two long, time consuming touchdown drives for fourth quarter touchdowns to salt away the 45-35 upset over the Generals.

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Sheriff Joe Arpaio

"I Am Free of the Federal Government"

Watch this press conference of the Sheriff Arpaio (Arizona) who has been battling the Department of Homeland Security which is resisting his efforts to enforce federal laws against illegal immigration. When this video hits the national media, folks across the nation are going to howl. I hope somebody in the White House media has the guts to question President Obama. Here are some questions:

(1) What is your reaction to Sheriff Arpaio's accusation the Homeland Security Department is lying about releasing captured illegal aliens;

(2) Did President Obama know about and approve of the actions the Department of Homeland Security is taking in Arizona; and

(3) Does the President agree with the Department of Homeland Security's policy effort to resist this local southern border Sheriff's attempt to enforce of our federal immigration law.

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Food Czar Michael Taylor

He's a Monstanto Corporate Lawyer

Michael Taylor was recently appointed by President Obama to serve as "Food Czar" working directly for the Executive Branch. This means he will help set policy, but does not have to be approved or vetted by the usual Congressional oversight.

Taylor is former Monsanto Executive and corporate lawyer who worked for decades with the FDA, passing legislation that restricted organic farming. As an attorney for agriculture giant Monsanto, Taylor helped find legal "loopholes" for manufacturers of DDT, PCB's, pesticides, aspartame and bovine growth hormone, all of which have been found to be harmful for human consumption.

Despite this anti-American work, in 1991, Taylor was appointed by the Clinton Administration as the Policy Chief for the FDA where he was responsible for writing propaganda reassuring the American public about the alleged safety of genetically engineered food. For example, at the FDA, contradicting many scientific studies that warned of danger, Taylor declared bovine growth hormones were safe for public consumption.

Taylor also worked at FDA to push policies which allowed the FDA to sue small dairy farmers.

After leaving the FDA in 1998, Taylor returned to Monsanto as its VP of Public Policy. There, Taylor worked tirelessly as a formidable government lobbyist for the corporate giant--a proponent of injecting GMO (genetically-modified organisms) into American food. Although the Monsanto corporation's legal attorney-client privilege protects the specifics of Taylor's efforts from the light of day, Taylor may have led or been an integral part of Monsanto's known cover up and suppression (in America) of a number of important scientific studies that showed GMO food is unsafe.

Shockingly, in July 2009, Taylor was appointed to by new President Obama to become Senior Advisor to the Commissioner of the FDA. It is shocking because Obama promised to be a new politician who would not continue the multi-national corporate-politician revolving door that was prevalent in the Bush and Clinton Administrations. Nope, it is business as usual in government-big corporate circle.

Ironically and dangerously to the American public, Taylor's primary responsibility at the FDA is "food safety." He now also has Czar power in the Executive Branch. That means his meetings with Monsanto and other corporate interests about food engineering does not have to be exposed to Congressional inquiry and/or more stringent ethics oversight of a federal agency employee. His communications with corporate lobbyists at the Executive Branch as a "Czar" can be shielded from disclosure by the doctrine of Executive Privilege.

Taylor is the worst example of the problem of corporatism in America, and how its ability to corrupt our government is expanding. This is not small business interest. Nurturing growth of small business in America is critical to a real economic recovery. This is corporatism. Theses giant corporate interests sway our corrupt politicians getting bailouts and corporate welfare. With Taylor's appointment, it is apparent Obama is just another greedy politician with a hypocritical schtick.

I'm sorry for ranting, but these multi-national corporations, giant above-the-law, too-big-to-fail organizations, are the true scourge of America. Obama's appointment of Taylor is more clear evidence that Obama's election was a mistake. His election has not changed American politics a bit. Nor has it created one iota of hope.

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