About Me

Name: Greg
Biography
Loading...

Create Your Own Blog Find Other Townhall Blogs

Comments

Ban All Power Saws!

Posted by Greg on Friday, July 07, 2006 3:34:44 PM
Jack Kelly wonders if there will be a movement to ban all power saws after this incident.

You gotta love Jack Kelly. Check out his Irish Pennants blog every chance you get.
Email ItEmail It | Print ItPrint It | CommentsComments (0) | TrackbacksTrackbacks (0) | Flag as offensiveFlag as Offensive

New Media Changes Everything

Posted by Greg on Friday, July 07, 2006 11:17:34 AM

I received one of those "chain" emails today.  It claimed to reveal some dastardly editing on one of the inscriptions on the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC. 

With the effective, emotional tactic of portraying an elderly couple from the greatest generation angered and hurt, the "appalled observer" claims that the engravers of the WWII Memorial deliberately omitted "so help us God" from the text of FDR's speech announcing that Pearl Harbor had been attacked.

Naturally, I was upset!  Here's that blasted PC crowd again - liberal scoundrels, all - trying their best to remove all references to the Divine Lord from our nation's history.

There's some considerable truth in that statement.  However, before I forward emails like that to all my friends and family, I like to do a little fact checking.

God bless the internet!

I found the inscription information for the memorial at the National WWII Memorial web site under the Inscriptions link. 

*****
Eastern Corners

PEARL HARBOR
DECEMBER 7, 1941, A DATE WHICH WILL LIVE IN INFAMY…NO
MATTER HOW LONG IT MAY TAKE US TO OVERCOME THIS
PREMEDITATED INVASION, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, IN THEIR
RIGHTEOUS MIGHT, WILL WIN THROUGH TO ABSOLUTE VICTORY.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt

*****

Sure enough, just like the email told me, the quote from FDR is missing "so help us God".   There IS a conspiracy!

Still, I thouht it wise to check the actual text of the actual speach itself.  What I found was that the phrase "so help us God", while definitely a part of FDR's speach, was actually three paragraphs below the text used for the WWII Memorial inscription. 

Hmmm.

Certainly the designers of the memorial could have used the paragraph that included "so help us God" (I bet it was considered.).  And perhaps there were those who opposed that paragraph because of its reference to our Lord and Savior.  But it's simply not true and definetly unfair to suggest that the designers deliberatly edited the phrase out of the text used on the WWII Memorial.

So what does all this mean?

It means that we now have the tools and information at our fingertips to investigate nearly every claim by anyone who wants to convince us of anything.

That. Is. Powerful.

No longer can the general public be expected to lap up everything the MSM spoon feeds us.  The same tactic used in that chain email has been used by old media for decades.  Throw some half truths in with some pointed inuendo and wrap it all in credulous emotion and you have the recipe for what has passed for the bulk of main stream journalism for years.

So here's the new deal:

  • Consider the source of everything you hear or read
    • Someone is trying to convince you of something
  • Fact check everything they are telling you
  • Spread the word
    • The more people involved the better
    • They won't be able to ignore us or shrug us off
    • They won't be able to pull another Rathergate    
    • The public will be better informed and better served

I love this stuff!

Email ItEmail It | Print ItPrint It | CommentsComments (0) | TrackbacksTrackbacks (0) | Flag as offensiveFlag as Offensive

Are the majority of Americans against the War?

Posted by Greg on Friday, July 07, 2006 9:02:31 AM
 It's a muggy night in Houston
And all the intersections are like full service stations

Listening to Somewhere North on the 40 Acres CD by Caedmon's Call during lunch today my mind drifted from the song to thoughts of this particular form of entrepreneurship.

Initial images of desperate, scary men forcing themselves on trapped and helpless drivers gave way to the question: Could this be a legitimate business? Could someone with the right attitude and proper authorzations actually make a living doing this? Could you establish yourself as a service and not an annoyance?

Of course you could. You could provide the service without demanding payment. You could smile and do the job for free and accept any tips the drivers may offer. I'd almost be willing to bet a majority of the customers would be more than willing to tip a pleasant and efficient service provider if they presented themselves well.

I could see the happy helper smiling and washing and creating a pleasant experience for the busy city drivers. Why, they could even spread the joy by wishing people well as they finished their work.

"Have a great day" they would say with disarming warmth.

They could even encourage people to feel good about their communities.

"Go Wildcats!"

"How 'bout them Hornets!"

Or even the nation: "Pray for our troops."

-- STOP RIGHT THERE --

That would never work.

I believe the vast majority of Americans would in no way be offended by this kind of remark. I think most would actually appreciate it. But surely there are those who would not only be offended, but would be pushed to the brink of an outright fit at the thoughts of supporting the American military while they are actually engaged in battle!

Most entrepreneurs would simply avoid any potentially controversial subject that might solicit a negetive reaction from their customers. They'd play it safe instead. And who could blame them. They want to make a living not get into political arguments.

Isn't that the way it is with almost everybody? Most people avoid discussions that might become argumentative - Ann Coulter notwithstanding.

With all the screaming from the left against the War in Iraq in particular and all things Bush in general, its understandable that some would get the idea that America is losing its resolve in this conflict.

But is that really true?

I'm no expert (on anything), but I have this gut feeling that the majority of Americans understand what is at stake in this war. I believe most Americans believe this war is justified and worth fighting. And I believe most Americans think the right man and the right party are in charge at the right time.

I'm an average Joe. My circle of friends are neither elite nor uninterested. They're normal Americans, mostly blue collar. I live in a part of the country that is overwhelmingly registered as Democrat. Yet almost everyone I talk to believes we need to stop Islamic terrorists and stop them now.

If that's true then why aren't more people saying so? Well, just like any entrepreneur (or any normal human being), most people simply don't want to argue about it. Besides, in the last national election the War in Iraq was the number one issue. I think it's fair to say that Americans have spoken on this issue.

So don't be fooled by the continual shrieking from the liberals in America. It's their right to speak their mind. It's their job to try to convince as many people as they can of the rightness of their cause. But just because they're the loudest, that doesn't mean they're the majority.

My contention is that the majority of Americans know we're doing the right thing and they know which party will continue to do the right thing. I think they are polite enough, however, to express their opinions on election day rather than argue about it all the time.
Email ItEmail It | Print ItPrint It | CommentsComments (0) | TrackbacksTrackbacks (0) | Flag as offensiveFlag as Offensive

Just Do It!

Posted by Greg on Friday, July 07, 2006 8:56:17 AM
Note: This is a copy of my first post on Fat Man's Corner on Blogspot.  I will be posting at both locations for a while. 

I created this blog over a year ago. This is my first actual post. How pathetic is that?!?!?

I thought I'd learn more about blogs before I jumped in. I thought I'd read and comment on other blogs to get my feet wet. Well, I've done some of that. But my goodness, it's been over a year.

Am I REALLY that much of a slacker? (Yes!)

I've read and commented on other blogs. But I haven't investigated how to blog on my own at all. I'm somewhat of a techno-tard (Is that a word? Can I "coin" it if it isn't?), so I have been and still am more than somewhat intimidated by the prospect. Besides, commenting on other blogs was so easy.

That's been the biggest problem. It's so easy to read other blogs. And it's so easy to comment on some blogs. Heck, I even got a "Hat Tip" credit on Carol Platt Liebau's blog once. Man, I felt like a celebrity or something! Why in the world should I do all the work of creating and maintaining my own blog when my skill and intellect can be recognized world wide via Carol's blog?

The other problem hits a lot closer to home. Reading all these blogs has shown me how many truly talented, intelligent, and thoughtful people there are in the world. Geez, there are so many great thinkers out there! How could I possibly add anything worth while? How could I possibly compete? Besides, so many of them seem to do so much research on each topic. I KNOW I can't compete with that! And so many of them are professionals in the particular area they choose to blog about. What am I an expert in???? (Nothing!)

But the more I posted comments on other blogs, the more I began to feel like I've been cheating. I've been using someone else's space to vent my feelings (That's all they are, afterall. I think I've already established I'm not an expert on anything.) But more importantly, I've been cheating myself. I've allowed someone else to determine which subjects I comment on. Sure, there's a certain set of current events and issues that a lot of people are going to want to comment on. But what about the issues I care about that don't get blogged very often? What about those unique perspectives I may have on today's hot topics?

OK, so there probably won't be a boat load of those unique perspectives comeing from me. But you never know.

A blog offers me my own personal space. I can write about whatever I want. I can explore my own thoughts. I can be serious or poke fun. I can jump from politics to sports to religion. It's my blog. I can do what I want with it!

When I first created this blog I expected my first post would be a "get-to-know-me" kind of thing. I thought I'd put together some well-organized, insightful, brilliant (of course!) autobiographical sketch that would make millions of people inistantly interested in everything I had to say. But instead, after over a year, I've decided to JUST DO IT! Whatever was on my mind as of a few minutes ago would make up the content of this historic first post.

I still have no idea what Fat Man's Corner will become. But I guess, for now, I could at least introduce myself and mention a few areas of my personal interest:

Hi, I'm Greg Helton. I'm from Ohio. But I've lived in Salyersville, KY for the past 21 years. The hills of Eastern Kentucky have been good to me. I have a beautiful, loving wife, three gorgeous children, and two perfect grandchildren (Yes. They. Are. Perfect!).

Pleased to meet you.

Interests:

  • Politics - This is what introduced me to blogs in the first place
  • Family - I thoroughly enjoy mine!
  • Religion - Christian
  • Sports - Especially at the High School and College levels
  • Sports Officiating - I've been a referee/umpire for 10 years or so
  • Music - Raised on Country & Bluegrass, Came of age on Classic Rock, Love Contemporary Christian
  • Movies - When I have time, I enjoy many genres


Oh well, I can see the creative urge is petering out right about now (several minutes ago, actually). So I'll wrap it up.

This here's my blog. I have no idea what I'm gonna do with it. But it's mine and I love it already. I hope I'll be able to engage others with it as well as use it as therapy for myself.


Thanks and God bless,

Greg

Email ItEmail It | Print ItPrint It | CommentsComments (0) | TrackbacksTrackbacks (0) | Flag as offensiveFlag as Offensive
« Previous123Next »