Pray always

This week's slightly politically charged Bible study blog post (Taking sides) changes some, but Sunday's sermon at Union Congregational United Church of Christ in Somonauk, IL keeps some of the political 'stuff' and goes deeper into the parable from Luke 18:1-8.
"Pray Always" text
"Pray Always" podcast

Please Protect our Insurance Execs

Will and friends offer these thoughts. (HT to Sue)

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

I'm ashamed of my school district.

*** Update. Our school district is going to record the speech and show it on Wednesday in classrooms. In the meantime, parents in the school district have arranged for an educational event to see the speech live at Arrowhead Golf Course in Wheaton tomorrow (Tuesday) with arrivals at 10:45 am. I'm pleased with the change of plans from the school district and also will be participating with my children in the live event at Arrowhead tomorrow.


From the Community Unit School District 200 website – a transcript of a broadcast phone message (with text that was omitted due the the length limitations of the broadcast) I’ve added my interpretations. . .

Good evening, this is Robert Rammer, Director of Communications with District 200.

You may have seen on the news that President Obama is planning a national address on September 8 -- the first day of school for many children across America -- directly to students on the importance of education. According to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan, the President will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning. He will also call for a shared responsibility and commitment on the part of students, parents and educators to ensure that every child in every school receives the best education possible so they can compete in the global economy for good jobs and live rewarding and productive lives as American citizens.

Code: There. We’ve told you what he’s going to say. We don’t need to show the speech now.

We’d like you to know that while we believe the President's message supporting education is important, we have not had an opportunity to preview his presentation and we do not have time set aside to watch the speech during the school day on September 8. Therefore, the President’s message to children will not be broadcast to students in District 200 on Tuesday.

Code: We don’t trust that our president will give an appropriate message to our students. And even if it is important, we don’t think that a speech from this president to students is worth making adjustments to our daily schedule.

We will record the broadcast and determine if and under what curricular circumstances it would be appropriate to share with students. Copies will be made available to each of our schools to use as they see fit.

Code: We’ll let students see it if we think it is free of socialistic propaganda.

Should a school or a classroom decide to show the President’s message at some later date, you will be notified and provided an option to exclude your student from viewing.

Code: We think the idea that the president is trying to indoctrinate our students with his left-wing propaganda has some merit.

If families would like to view a copy of the President’s broadcast together at home, we will make several DVD copies available at each school to be checked out on loan later next week.

Code: We expect there to be some parents who are angry about us not showing the video – but not enough for us to do anything significant about it.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Code: Please leave us alone.

Good evening.

[Due to the length of the phone message, the following information was not included in the electronic phone message; however, it speaks to the significant logistical issues surrounding this broadcast]

Once again, although we certainly support and appreciate the President's encouragement of students to do well in school, broadcasting a 20 minute program at 11:00 to all our schools, on a live web stream, is somewhat problematic from a logistical perspective. At the high schools and middle schools, for example, many of our students are eating lunch. These students would not be in a classroom setting where a discussion could take place. From a practical perspective, delaying the lunch schedule for an extended period would be disruptive at best. Some students will be in physical education classes or settings unsuitable for viewing. Streaming this message to all venues and computers at one time would cripple our technology.

Code: We are making up as much rhetoric about logistics as possible. We hope it dazzles you and that you accept it as the truth. Incidentally, we do have the capability to handle all the logistics and to make necessary adjustments to our school schedule for the day. We just don’t want to because we don’t think it is a good idea to do it.

Providing schools with multiple copies of the presentation allows teachers to present the message in a thoughtful, purposeful, and instructive fashion.

Code: That sounds really educational. Do you think it will diffuse the anger of people who want their children to experience the historic event as it happens? We think so. It’s not like we won a football game or something – it’s just the President of the United States, after all.

Any parents who are interested in having their children view the President's speech as it happens. I'm hosting a viewing event at my house at 11 central time Tuesday. We'll watch the speech, discuss it and then students will go back to school.

Lego version of President Obama's Inauguration

Legoland California is celebrating too!

The comedy stylings of John McCain and Barack Obama

Events like this not only make me smile, they give me hope for the future. Senators McCain and Obama spoke last night at the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner.

ht to Chuck

Contrast: Part 4 -- Veterans

Continuing over the few weeks leading up to the presidential election, I'm posting some 'political' entries -- contrasting the plans of the two major-party candidates for president.

I encourage you to take a look at the issues – and decide which candidate you support. (If you've already made up your mind -- look at the issues to be better informed!)

Today: Veterans

Both candidates have touted their record on advocacy for veterans – with John McCain’s ‘touting’ being a long list due to his long tenure in congress. Extensive details on both of the candidates websites reveal that they’re in agreement on almost everything, if not everything as it relates to care for veterans. The two candidates do not have the same position on the war in Iraq, but both share a commitment to veteran care. Here are some highlights from the candidates.

John McCain (from the John McCain website)

• Increase pay scales and enlistment bonuses for servicemen and women.
• Expand retirement and health care benefits for reservists.
• Fully fund and provide meaningful access to veterans' health care programs.
• Ensure that veterans who are eligible for benefits know what they are entitled to and have the resources to obtain their benefits.
• Ensure that veterans with service-connected disabilities can receive the retirement benefits that they have earned.
• Provide educational and job counseling programs to help veterans get civilian employment.
• Help homeless veterans by providing them with counseling, independent living training, and residential treatment programs.
• Protect veterans from scam artists and loan sharks who would prey on low income veterans.
• Increase the survivor benefit plan for widows or widowers of retired veterans.
• Honor the Service and Sacrifice of Our Past and Present Veterans .

Barack Obama (from the Barack Obama website)

• Allow All Veterans Back into the VA.
• Strengthen VA Care.
• Combat Homelessness among Our Nation's Veterans.
• Fight Veterans Employment Discrimination.
• Ensure a Seamless Transition from active duty to civilian life.
• Fully Fund VA Medical Care.
• Fix the Benefits Bureaucracy.
• Improve Mental Health Treatment.
• Improve Care for Traumatic Brain Injury.
• Expand Vet Centers.

Next up: Health Care

Contrast: Part 3 -- Education

Continuing over the weeks leading up to the presidential election, I'm posting some 'political' entries -- contrasting the plans of the two major-party candidates for president.

I encourage you to take a look at the issues – and decide which candidate you support. (If you've already made up your mind -- look at the issues to be better informed!)

Today: Education

The two candidates share many views on education. Senator Obama seems to have a more detailed plan on most items, yet Senator McCain has very specific ideas about virtual learning/online education programs. Senator Obama is a strong advocate of support for community colleges (Many have virtual learning programs in place.)

The two main areas of contrast are No Child Left Behind and School Choice. Senator Obama wants to reform No Child Left Behind and offer school choice within the public school system. (Public school choice isn’t spelled out on his website, but Senator Obama has been a vocal supporter of public school choice) Senator McCain wants to improve No Child Left Behind and offer more liberal school choice. (Private vouchers aren’t mentioned, but have been championed by Senator McCain) Senator McCain also lists "eliminating earmarks" as part of improving higher education research. I'm not sure how the two are connected, however.


Barack Obama: (From the Obama Campaign site )

Early Childhood Education

• Zero to Five Plan: Places key emphasis at early care and education for infants. Early Learning Challenge Grants to promote state "zero to five" efforts and help states move toward voluntary, universal pre-school.
• Expand Early Head Start and Head Start: quadruple Early Head Start, increase Head Start funding and improve quality for both.
• Affordable, High-Quality Child Care: Provide affordable and high-quality child care to ease the burden on working families.

K-12

• Reform No Child Left Behind: Fund the law. Improve the assessments used to track student progress to measure readiness for college and the workplace Improve NCLB's accountability system to support schools that need improvement, rather than punish them.
• Support High-Quality Schools and Close Low-Performing Charter Schools
• Make Math and Science Education a National Priority
• Address the Dropout Crisis: Passing legislation to provide funding to school districts to invest in intervention strategies in middle school
• Expand High-Quality Afterschool Opportunities: for more than one million more children.
• Support College Outreach Programs: Encourage more young people from low-income families to consider and prepare for college.
• Support College Credit Initiatives: Create a national "Make College A Reality" initiative - increase students taking AP or college-level classes nationwide 50 percent by 2016. Provide grants for students seeking college level credit at community colleges if their school does not provide those resources.
• Support English Language Learners: Support transitional bilingual education and help Limited English Proficient students get ahead by holding schools accountable for making sure these students complete school.

Recruit, Prepare, Retain, and Reward America's Teachers

• Recruit Teachers: Create new Teacher Service Scholarships that will cover four years of undergraduate or two years of graduate teacher education, including high-quality alternative programs for mid-career recruits in exchange for teaching for at least four years in a high-need field or location.
• Prepare Teachers: Require all schools of education to be accredited. Create a voluntary national performance assessment so every new educator is trained and ready to walk into the classroom and start teaching effectively. Create Teacher Residency Programs that will supply 30,000 exceptionally well-prepared recruits to high-need schools.
• Retain Teachers: Expand mentoring programs that pair experienced teachers with new recruits. Provide incentives to give teachers paid common planning time so they can collaborate to share best practices.
• Reward Teachers: Promote new and innovative ways to increase teacher pay that are developed with teachers, not imposed on them.

Higher Education

• Create the American Opportunity Tax Credit: Make college affordable for all Americans by creating a new American Opportunity Tax Credit. This universal and fully refundable credit will ensure that the first $4,000 of a college education is completely free for most Americans, and will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university and make community college tuition completely free for most students. Recipients of the credit will be required to conduct 100 hours of community service.
• Simplify the Application Process for Financial Aid: Streamline the financial aid process by eliminating the current federal financial aid application and enabling families to apply simply by checking a box on their tax form, authorizing their tax information to be used, and eliminating the need for a separate application.
  

John McCain (From the McCain website )

• Enact Meaningful Reform In Education. Demand real, new reform earned through discipline, grinding work, tough choices and leadership.
• Equality Of Choice. Too many of our children are trapped by geography and by economics in failing schools.
• Empower Parents with critical knowledge about their child's performance, and empower them with real and meaningful choices to act upon that knowledge.
• Empower Teachers: Ensure that every child has the opportunity to be inspired and motivated to achieve their potential by a strong classroom leader.
• Build On The Lessons Of No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Emphasize standards and accountability. The goal cannot be group averages. Instead, inspire every child to strive to reach his or her potential
• Provide Effective Education Leadership: Provide the resources needed to succeed. Invest in people, parents and reward achievement.
• Ensure That Our Children Have Quality Teachers.
• Encourage Alternative Certification Methods That Open The Door For Highly Motivated Teachers To Enter The Field.
• Provide Bonuses For Teachers Who Locate In Underperforming Schools And Demonstrate Strong Leadership As Measured By Student Improvement.
• Provide Funding For Needed Professional Teacher Development.
• Empower School Principals With Greater Control Over Spending. Let School principles have the purse-strings.
• Give Parents Greater Choice: More control over education money.
• Expand The D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program.
• Ensure Children Struggling To Meet State Standards Will Have Immediate Access To High Quality Tutoring Programs.
• Expand Virtual Learning By Reforming The "Enhancing Education Through Technology Program."
• Allocate $250 Million Through A Competitive Grant Program To Support States That Commit To Expanding Online Education Opportunities.
• Offer $250 Million For Digital Passport Scholarships To Help Students Pay For Online Tutors Or Enroll In Virtual Schools.

Higher Education Policy

• Prepare for the 21st Century in Higher Education: Encourage the government to support innovative approaches to education, removing regulatory barriers that prevent us from moving forward with new ideas.
• Improve Information for Parents
• Simplify Higher Education Tax Benefits
• Simplify Federal Financial Aid
• Improve Research by Eliminating Earmarks
• Fix the Student Lending Programs

Next up: Veterans

Contrast: Part 2 -- Energy

Over the next several weeks, I'm posting some 'political' entries -- contrasting the plans of the two major-party candidates for president.

I encourage you to take a look at the issues – and decide which candidate you support. (If you've already made up your mind -- look at the issues to be better informed!)

Today: Immigration

The ideas from both candidates are so similar that it seems there are no significant areas of disagreement. However, the language of “Secure our Borders FIRST” in contrast to “Create Secure Borders” may be perceived as some as a difference. It isn’t.

Obama (From the Obama website)

• Create Secure Borders: Secure additional personnel and improve infrastructure and technology on the border and at our ports of entry.
• Improve Our Immigration System: Increase the number of legal immigrants to keep families together and meet the demand for jobs that employers cannot fill. Increase the number of people we allow into the country legally to a level that keeps families together and meets the demand for jobs that employers cannot fill.
• Pass the Citizenship Promotion Act to ensure that immigration application fees are both reasonable and fair.
• Respect Families: Put greater emphasis on keeping immigrant families together.
• Crack down on employers who hire undocumented immigrants.
• Work with Mexico to promote economic development in Mexico to decrease illegal immigration.
• Honor our Immigrant Troops: Legal immigrants who have fought for us overseas should have expedited procedures towards citizenship.

McCain (From the McCain website)

• Secure Our Borders First. Utilize physical and virtual barriers, training facilities, technologies, unmanned Aerial Vehicles and other aircraft where needed.
• Comprehensive Immigration Initiatives for a Secure Nation. Use an electronic employment verification system to identify and aggressively prosecute employers that continue to hire illegal immigrants.
• Utilize fair temporary worker programs for Highly Skilled workers, Low-skilled non-agricultural workers and Low-skilled agricultural workers:
• Address the Undocumented. All undocumented individuals will be required to enroll in a program to resolve their status. This will identify criminal aliens for prosecution and deportation. And allow remaining undocumented immigrants to move toward citizenship by must learning English, paying back taxes and fines, and passing a citizenship course as part of a path to legal status.
• No person here illegally will receive a green card before those that have been legally waiting outside the country.
• All undocumented aliens must either leave or follow the path to legal residence.
• Be fair, humane, realistic, and ensure the rights of the individuals and families. Ensure that families are reunited.
• Address in an expedited manner the status of individuals brought here illegally as minors through no will or intention of their own.
• Eliminate the Family Backlog. clear out the backlog of individuals that are waiting legally outside of the country, some for up to 20 years, for their green card number to become available.

Next up: Education

Political Humor

Jon Stewart on Hypocrisy:

Contrast: Part 1 -- Energy

Over the next several weeks, I'll post some 'political' entries -- contrasting the plans of the two major-party candidates for president.

I encourage you to take a look at the issues – and decide which candidate you support.
(If you've already made up your mind -- look at the issues to be better informed!)

First up: Energy Policy:

The two candidates are largely the same, with some differences worth mentioning:

• McCain – No windfall profits tax.
• Obama – a windfall profits tax funding a $1000 per married couple energy rebate.
• McCain - No release of oil from the strategic petroleum reserve - that's for emergencies only.
• Obama - Release oil from the strategic petroleum reserve to help bring down prices.

The rest of the position statements sound like plans the two parties can agree on.


John McCain (Directly from the John McCain Website)

• Expand Domestic Oil Exploration. Promote And Expand The Use Of Our Domestic Supplies Of Natural Gas.
• Clean Car Challenge. A $5,000 tax credit for each and every customer who buys a zero carbon emission car. For other vehicles, a graduated tax credit will apply so that the lower the carbon emissions, the higher the tax credit.
• A $300 Million Prize To Improve Battery Technology For Full Commercial Development Of Plug-In Hybrid And Fully Electric Automobiles.
• Flex-Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) Should Play A Greater Role In Our Transportation Sector.
  Alcohol-Based Fuels As Both An Alternative To Gasoline And As A Means of Expanding Consumers' Choices.
• Eliminate mandates, subsidies, tariffs and price supports that focus exclusively on corn-based ethanol.
• Enforce Existing CAFE Standards. (The mileage requirements that automobile manufacturers' cars must meet.)
• The U.S. Must Become A Leader In A New International Green Economy.
  $2 Billion Annually To Advancing Clean Coal Technologies.
• Construct 45 New Nuclear Power Plants By 2030 With The Ultimate Goal Of Eventually Constructing 100 New Plants.
• Establish A Permanent Tax Credit Equal To 10 Percent Of Wages Spent On R&D.
• Encourage The Market For Alternative, Low Carbon Fuels Such As Wind, Hydro And Solar Power.
• A Cap-And-Trade System That Would Set Limits On Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
• Greening The Federal Government.
• Move The United States Toward Electricity Grid And Metering Improvements To Save Energy.
• Understand The Role Speculation Is Playing In Our Soaring Energy Prices.
• No Windfall Profits Tax.

Barack Obama (Directly from the Barack Obama Website)

• Immediately Provide Emergency Energy Rebate. 500 for an individual and $1,000 for a married couple (Paid for by a windfall profits tax)
• Crack Down on Excessive Energy Speculation.
• Swap Light and Heavy Crude, Release Oil from Strategic Petroleum Reserve to Cut Prices.
• Implement Cap and Trade Program to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
• Make the U.S. a Leader on Climate Change.
• Invest In A Clean Energy Economy and Help Create 5 Million New Green Jobs: $150 billion over 10 years.
• Create a "Green Vet Initiative: Offer counseling and job placement to help veterans gain the skills to enter this rapidly growing field; and work with industry partners to create career pathways and educational programs.
• Convert our Manufacturing Centers into Clean Technology Leaders.
• Create New Job Training Programs for Clean Technologies.
• Increase Fuel Economy Standards.
• Invest in Developing Advanced Vehicles and Put 1 Million Plugin Electric Vehicles on the Road by 2015.
• Partner with Domestic Automakers: $4 billion retooling tax credits and loan guarantees for domestic auto plants and parts manufacturers, so that the new fuel-efficient cars can be built in the U.S. by American workers.
• Mandate All New Vehicles are Flexible Fuel Vehicles.
• Develop the Next Generation of Sustainable Biofuels and Infrastructure.
• Establish a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard.
• A "Use it or Lose It" Approach to Existing Oil Drilling Leases.
• Promote the Responsible Domestic Production of Oil and Natural Gas.
• Prioritize the Construction of the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline.
• Get More from our Existing Oil Fields.
• Require 10 Percent of Electricity to Come from Renewable Sources by 2012.
• Develop and Deploy Clean Coal Technology.
• Safe and Secure Nuclear Energy.
• Deploy the Cheapest, Cleanest, and Fastest Energy Source: Energy Efficiency.
• Overhaul Federal Efficiency Standards.
• Reduce Federal Energy Consumption.
• Flip Incentives to Energy Utilities.
• Invest in a Smart Grid.
• Weatherize One Million Homes Annually.
• Build More Livable and Sustainable Communities

Next up: Immigration

Playing the comedy central card

Helping the Democratic Party?

Pat's at it again.

He's just endorsed Rudy Giuliani for president, saying Mr. Giuliani is the candidate who will best provide the "defense of our nation from the blood lust of Islamic terrorists."

Something continues to be wrong with this picture -- the Christian advocating war. What is up with this man? He's completely, unquestionably and painfully harmful to the cause of Christianity. His reckless, idiotic ideas have the ability to turn any Republican vote for president into a Democratic one. (In a "If Pat Robertson likes -insert candidate's name-, then I'm definitely not voting for them!" way.)

Maybe Pat is really a deceptive genius and is secretly acting vile in order to turn people away from voting Republican to voting Democratic.

But I don't think he's that smart.

Unconscionable

Lay the rhetoric aside. Forget the fact that it will sweep many "no" voters out of office at the next opportunity.

Millions of uninsured children just got slapped in the face by a bunch of adults who should know better.

Let's shift it into override

President Bush has made a horrible mistake.

Our President's veto of the expanded SCHIP program feels like a huge "up yours" from the White House to 9 million uninsured children in the United States
President Bush's reasons?

It is too costly-- and is paid for by a tax on tobacco.

"too costly"?! I think we need to have a lesson in priorities, Mr. President.

"Poor kids first."

President Bush thinks that SCHIP puts rich kids first? The Children's Defense Fund, an advocate for children's rights, completely disagrees. President Bush is simply wrong.

"I happen to believe that what you're seeing when you expand eligibility for federal programs is the desire by some in Washington, D.C. to federalize health care"

President Bush favors private healthcare and medical savings accounts. I guess he also thinks that government-backed program to insure children is a bad thing. He's wrong again.

I think that congress must override this veto. I'd also like to propose a new bill to take away healthcare coverage from anyone in congress who votes to sustain it. (But that's just me venting anger. . . )

What's this? The Surgeon General was censored?

I have an initial reaction to the New York Times (and many other publications) article that former Former Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona said, before a congressional panel, that "top Bush administration officials repeatedly tried to weaken or suppress important public health reports because of political considerations."

Duh.

It is my humble opinion that it is only after a Surgeon General in the Bush administration leaves office that we can trust that he or she is speaking the truth about public health issues. While they are serving they are merely a political mouthpiece for the Bush administration.

Might it have sounded like this?

'Thanks for watching our backs -- you're RAZOR sharp!'
'No problem -- but I think I have claustrophobia too'
'I can take care of that -- Can I also buy that pumpkin pie filling from you for 250?'
'Sure -- and thanks -- I'll be sure to keep quiet for a couple of years.'

Voices in conflict

A high school advanced theater class in Wilton, Connecticut, put together a series of dramatic readings from words spoken by soldiers serving in Iraq. The high school principal cancelled the play because of the controversial issues it raises.
I hope the students and the soldiers voices are not silenced. I think we're going to hear more from this class. Maybe their voices will be the ones that start a movement where people with different opinions about the war talk to each other instead of at or about each other.

iRack -- the newest iProduct

This was on MadTV recently (just last week) I think it's hilarious. Not everyone is as amused, however.

State of the Union

I watched and read President Bush's State of the Union Address last night. I also caught a little bit of, and read fully, Sen. Webb's Democratic Response.

Here are my thoughts on a few snippets of Pres. Bush's address:

Pres. Bush said
My response

We're not the first to come here with a government divided and uncertainty in the air. Like many before us, we can work through our differences, and achieve big things for the American people.

I completely agree. I think that a statement like that, while not a problem solver, can go a long way to finding common ground.

So let us work together to reform the budget process, expose every earmark to the light of day and to a vote in Congress, and cut the number and cost of earmarks at least in half by the end of this session.

Not only earmarks, but wasteful spending, tax incentives for the wealthy and inflated congressional office budgets!


The No Child Left Behind Act has worked for America's children -- and I ask Congress to reauthorize this good law.

I beg to differ with the President on this one. I don't think "No Child Left Behind" works at all. I think we can do better than it. Let's pass a law that really does what it says.

I propose a standard tax deduction for health insurance that will be like the standard tax deduction for dependents. Families with health insurance will pay no income on payroll tax -- or payroll taxes on $15,000 of their income. Single Americans with health insurance will pay no income or payroll taxes on $7,500 of their income.

I don't understand how this works, but I'm glad to see a proactive proposal to make healthcare more available and affordable.

We should establish a legal and orderly path for foreign workers to enter our country to work on a temporary basis. As a result, they won't have to try to sneak in, and that will leave Border Agents free to chase down drug smugglers and criminals and terrorists.
Convictions run deep in this Capitol when it comes to immigration. Let us have a serious, civil, and conclusive debate, so that you can pass, and I can sign, comprehensive immigration reform into law.

I think this congress is going to be able to put together legislation that recognizes people -- not illegal immigrants. I like that he didn't call people who have come in without documentation "criminals." That statement could get him in trouble with more conservative people!

We must increase the supply of alternative fuels, by setting a mandatory fuels standard to require 35 billion gallons of renewable and alternative fuels in 2017 -- and that is nearly five times the current target. At the same time, we need to reform and modernize fuel economy standards for cars the way we did for light trucks -- and conserve up to 8.5 billion more gallons of gasoline by 2017.

We've heard this stuff in all the State of the Union Addresses. Maybe this time we'll make even better progress.

we're deploying reinforcements of more than 20,000 additional soldiers and Marines to Iraq. The vast majority will go to Baghdad, where they will help Iraqi forces to clear and secure neighborhoods, and serve as advisers embedded in Iraqi Army units. With Iraqis in the lead, our forces will help secure the city by chasing down the terrorists, insurgents, and the roaming death squads. And in Anbar Province, where al Qaeda terrorists have gathered and local forces have begun showing a willingness to fight them, we're sending an additional 4,000 United States Marines, with orders to find the terrorists and clear them out.

I disagree with the President here. I think we need to stop demonizing our adversaries in Iraq and Afghanistan and find a was to end the conflict -- period. If we really wanted to do it with military might, 20,000 soldiers is about 1/100th of what we would need. I don't support sending in any more troops.

I ask that you fund the Millennium Challenge Account, so that American aid reaches the people who need it, in nations where democracy is on the rise and corruption is in retreat. And let us continue to support the expanded trade and debt relief that are the best hope for lifting lives and eliminating poverty.

Here's another statement that can go a long way to helping those who don't have enough. We need to continue to do a better job at being unselfish and respecting everyone in the world.

This is a decent and honorable country -- and resilient, too. We've been through a lot together. We've met challenges and faced dangers, and we know that more lie ahead.

President Bush's words were, I think (with the notable exception of his "War escalation" talk), uplifting, forward-thinking, and Presidential.

Let's move forward.

Game Day

I found this fun "Brussel Sprout Smashing" game at the Willow Creek "Elevate" site. I dug a little deeper into the site that made "Attack of the Sprouts" and found this fun one from a few years back too. You can make your own presidential speech!

I'll have a few "State of the Union" comments later