Archive.org has some great old videos, many of which were put out by the government and some private funding by the "National Education Foundation." This film below is one in which I could find no fault. Why isn't it being taught today? Perhaps we should re-film it and send it free to schools. I wonder how many would actually use it? Notice that they never mention "God" as the foundation of our society, but the "Building blocks" metaphor he uses that is displayed on his desk has as it's foundation "Fundamental Belief in God" on the bottom, followed by "US Constitution." It was just assumed by the "WW2" generation that "Of course belief in God is the foundation." Today, we can't even get a majority and many on the Supreme court to agree that the US Constitution should be the foundation much less God. If it isn't, then what is? Unfortunately, it looks like we went through 75 years of Cold War struggle against the Red Menace only to have them freely elected here in 2008. Again my fellow Americans, the price of Liberty is Eternal Vigilance.
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Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
APALACHICOLA OYSTERS
November rolls around and I start to get that yearning feeling. That primal need many Floridians feel (and especially Panhandle Natives) for fresh, salty, right from the bay Oysters. Oysters are certainly an acquired taste but they also must be consumed in the proper atmosphere for optimal enjoyment. When I was just a lad living in Bonifay, FL, my dear father would take me to "Grady's Oyster Bar." This was always a treat on many levels. Firstly, it was a treat because it meant time spent with my Dad and secondly because we got to sit at the bar where I was given permission to consume obscene amounts of Coca Cola out of a glass bottle. The right kind of atmosphere most conductive to Oyster consumption is a sort of "dive" or "hole in the wall" with a TV blaring or a Jukebox playing. Often the jukebox is so old you can't quite believe such a mechanical device is still in service or how they could possibly still get parts for it. Grady's was located on Highway 90 and was owned by the Grandfather of my good friend "John Paul." The Bar was a former drive-in built in the 50's that had been added on to and was also the residence of the purveyors. When you went into the front door, sometime (if business was slow) there would be no one up front so you had to yell for Mr. Grady to come up from whatever he was doing to serve you. He would often come through the back door that led to their home, sleepy eyed or with a tired expression. But he would quickly settle into his work and would always have a joke or two for you. You would begin your order with a "dozen" and go from there to judge the freshness and quality of this particular batch. Professional Oyster Shuckers pride themselves on telling a good from bad oyster and we would rarely, if ever, get served a bad one. The first oyster would be shucked and served on the half-shell in front of you. You then looked at it. The oyster should look plump and full. It should be running with juices and very wet. (A dry looking or shriveled oyster is considered a bad one and should be avoided). Next you smell the oyster. It should have a nice salty-sea smell. (If it's fishy or pungent, it's no good, move on to the next). Finally, you prepared the oyster for consumption. You take your tooth-pick and gentle guide the oyster onto a saltine cracker. You then can salt it just a tad; a little pepper if you are so inclined, and then add the hottest Tabasco sauce known to man. Pop the whole thing into your mouth. The first bite tells all. It should burst with flavor and juices, a nice sea-food crustation flavor, salty and delicious. Once the first one passes the visual, olfactory, and taste tests, you know you likely have a good batch.
Yesterday I made my pilgrimage to the local Oyster bar in Leesburg, FL. It's the only one I've found in Central, Florida that reminds me of Grady's (Poor Mr. Grady passed on a few years ago, God rest his soul). I had an excellent batch of Oysters on the half-shell and a dozen steamed jumbo shrimp to boot. My obscene Coca Cola consumption has given way to moderate Beer consumption followed by a single diet coke (I'm going soft in my old age). I loved sitting in this smoky, seedy bar with AC/DC blaring, bikers and blue collar gentleman getting off work sitting around trying to drink the hard week away. When I sat down the Server asked, "What'll you have?" To which I replied, "A Dozen Oysters, raw on the half-shell." The burly mechanic looked up from his beer and gave me a smile and nod as if to approve. I sat there eating, thinking of Dad, and looking forward to seeing him Thanksgiving where we can shuck a few together and remember simpler times.
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Yesterday I made my pilgrimage to the local Oyster bar in Leesburg, FL. It's the only one I've found in Central, Florida that reminds me of Grady's (Poor Mr. Grady passed on a few years ago, God rest his soul). I had an excellent batch of Oysters on the half-shell and a dozen steamed jumbo shrimp to boot. My obscene Coca Cola consumption has given way to moderate Beer consumption followed by a single diet coke (I'm going soft in my old age). I loved sitting in this smoky, seedy bar with AC/DC blaring, bikers and blue collar gentleman getting off work sitting around trying to drink the hard week away. When I sat down the Server asked, "What'll you have?" To which I replied, "A Dozen Oysters, raw on the half-shell." The burly mechanic looked up from his beer and gave me a smile and nod as if to approve. I sat there eating, thinking of Dad, and looking forward to seeing him Thanksgiving where we can shuck a few together and remember simpler times.
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Wednesday, November 5, 2008
A LETTER TO MY VERY DISAPPOINTED SON
Dear Donovan:
I know you are sad about the outcome of the election. Son, firstly we have to remember that God is still on the throne, he still answers prayers, and Jesus is the answer and true hope for our salvation. I do agree with you that this election is an outcome that many of us, especially in the conservative community would have rather not experienced, but we have to keep working! What is the alternative? Give up? Never! What happened in this election was not an acceptance of ultra-left politics by the American People, it was an Anti-Bush, Anti-Big Spending, Fix this economy now, get us out of war, coalition. Now that they've won, that coalition will fall apart. Barack has his work cut out for him. And it won't be easy. He'll have to do all the things that he's promised and more. The same thing happened in 1992. Bill Clinton promised a middle class tax cut, he ran against George Bush, Sr. , on the basis that Bush, Sr. had raised taxes against his own pledge not to do so. The Democrats promised Bush, Sr. that if he would just agree to raise taxes for "the good of the country" they wouldn't use it against him in the election. They lied to Bush, Sr., they did use it against him and Clinton didn't or couldn't keep his promises. In 1992 I was a student in my Masters degree program in Springfield, Massachusetts. One of the big campaign issues was that Bill Clinton often lied. But the media told us that character didn't matter. I remember over hearing two professors discussing the outcome of the election. They said, "Yeah, he's a Liar but at least we'll get universal health care." Son, as I've taught you many times, character does matter, and telling the truth is always more important than just being popular or getting ahead at any cost. In 1992, the media said it was the death of the "Reagan Era" and the death of "Conservative and Libertarian ideas" and the death of "Small Government". They were wrong then, they are so very wrong now. So what happened is that the year you were born, in 1994, the most conservative and freedom loving congress in a generation was swept into power, this happened only two years after electing the previous Charlatan who made a lot of promises that were empty and without merit. It wasn't conservative ideas that were defeated in 1992 and it isn't conservative ideas that were defeated in 2008. On the contrary, Obama ran on Tax cuts, Family Values, Personal Responsibility, Hope and Liberty, and Christian values, which are all Conservative ideas. In fact, he could not have been elected if he had been honest about his own true philosophy or World view. The ultra-Left world view, when correctly and accurately and honestly articulated, has never won in this country. Just ask Michael Dukakis or Walter Mondale. The only way Barack and the Democrats will stay in office is if they can be successful. But you can't cut taxes and raise spending by what Barack has promised and keep the economy going. Just research Milton Friedman or better yet read his book, "Free to Choose." Liberal Keynesian Economics will never work, it never has. It always leads to the path of ruin at worst and stagnation at best. Therefore, it is only a matter of waiting for their failure and working to help in the ushering of those who will be the champions of free thinking back to the noble halls of our vibrant democracy. But in the meantime, we also pray. We pray and truly wish that the Democrats will be successful and the nation will get back on it's feet and all the good things they promised will happen, which will still be great for America. In the end, we are truly all Americans and either way, we win. Ironically, with the election of Barack Obama, we must have hope! We must hope that the ember of Liberty and Freedom that has almost died out, can once again be fanned into a roaring flame. We must hope that the small business person who sets out toward prosperity can do so without the oppressive hand of Big Government on their back. We must hope that the Shining City on a Hill that Ronald Reagan so artful spoke of, can once again be the symbol of the America that once was, and can be again. We must hope that we can keep the faith, fight the good fight, and finish the race so we can have both our reward and the good knowledge that we are following our steadfast principles. Son, you come from a good and noble lineage. A family line that stretches back to the founding of this great nation. When you feel down and despair, think of John and Robert Saunders as they fought against British oppression and threw off the chains of a heavy monarch; think of James Saunders who left Virgina and headed west with his family to settle a new frontier; think of John Thomas Saunders who held the line at Appomattox and had to watch one of the noblest men ever to walk the face of the Earth, Robert E. Lee, surrender to an invading army; think of Bartow Saunders, Sr. who survived the worst economic Depression of the 20th century and died a millionaire after a lifetime of hard work, struggle, and determination; think of your Great-Grandfather Tup McWaters who risked his life in the South Pacific, who spent 4 years of lonely nights in a fox hole not knowing if the next moment might be his last, who fought against an Empire so mighty that America feared she might not ever be able to overcome it. Yet we did! We overcame it all. Son, our family and our nation has endured much and overcome obstacles that make this current "let down" pale in comparison. And finally my dear sweet son, we must not tire, we must fight on, as was said in a letter by Thomas Jefferson to his beloved wife Martha, "Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time, who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done, if we are always doing. And that you may be always doing good, my dear, is the ardent prayer of yours affectionately."
With my dearest love and prayer for strength for you, Yours truly,
Dad Sphere: Related Content
Dear Donovan:
I know you are sad about the outcome of the election. Son, firstly we have to remember that God is still on the throne, he still answers prayers, and Jesus is the answer and true hope for our salvation. I do agree with you that this election is an outcome that many of us, especially in the conservative community would have rather not experienced, but we have to keep working! What is the alternative? Give up? Never! What happened in this election was not an acceptance of ultra-left politics by the American People, it was an Anti-Bush, Anti-Big Spending, Fix this economy now, get us out of war, coalition. Now that they've won, that coalition will fall apart. Barack has his work cut out for him. And it won't be easy. He'll have to do all the things that he's promised and more. The same thing happened in 1992. Bill Clinton promised a middle class tax cut, he ran against George Bush, Sr. , on the basis that Bush, Sr. had raised taxes against his own pledge not to do so. The Democrats promised Bush, Sr. that if he would just agree to raise taxes for "the good of the country" they wouldn't use it against him in the election. They lied to Bush, Sr., they did use it against him and Clinton didn't or couldn't keep his promises. In 1992 I was a student in my Masters degree program in Springfield, Massachusetts. One of the big campaign issues was that Bill Clinton often lied. But the media told us that character didn't matter. I remember over hearing two professors discussing the outcome of the election. They said, "Yeah, he's a Liar but at least we'll get universal health care." Son, as I've taught you many times, character does matter, and telling the truth is always more important than just being popular or getting ahead at any cost. In 1992, the media said it was the death of the "Reagan Era" and the death of "Conservative and Libertarian ideas" and the death of "Small Government". They were wrong then, they are so very wrong now. So what happened is that the year you were born, in 1994, the most conservative and freedom loving congress in a generation was swept into power, this happened only two years after electing the previous Charlatan who made a lot of promises that were empty and without merit. It wasn't conservative ideas that were defeated in 1992 and it isn't conservative ideas that were defeated in 2008. On the contrary, Obama ran on Tax cuts, Family Values, Personal Responsibility, Hope and Liberty, and Christian values, which are all Conservative ideas. In fact, he could not have been elected if he had been honest about his own true philosophy or World view. The ultra-Left world view, when correctly and accurately and honestly articulated, has never won in this country. Just ask Michael Dukakis or Walter Mondale. The only way Barack and the Democrats will stay in office is if they can be successful. But you can't cut taxes and raise spending by what Barack has promised and keep the economy going. Just research Milton Friedman or better yet read his book, "Free to Choose." Liberal Keynesian Economics will never work, it never has. It always leads to the path of ruin at worst and stagnation at best. Therefore, it is only a matter of waiting for their failure and working to help in the ushering of those who will be the champions of free thinking back to the noble halls of our vibrant democracy. But in the meantime, we also pray. We pray and truly wish that the Democrats will be successful and the nation will get back on it's feet and all the good things they promised will happen, which will still be great for America. In the end, we are truly all Americans and either way, we win. Ironically, with the election of Barack Obama, we must have hope! We must hope that the ember of Liberty and Freedom that has almost died out, can once again be fanned into a roaring flame. We must hope that the small business person who sets out toward prosperity can do so without the oppressive hand of Big Government on their back. We must hope that the Shining City on a Hill that Ronald Reagan so artful spoke of, can once again be the symbol of the America that once was, and can be again. We must hope that we can keep the faith, fight the good fight, and finish the race so we can have both our reward and the good knowledge that we are following our steadfast principles. Son, you come from a good and noble lineage. A family line that stretches back to the founding of this great nation. When you feel down and despair, think of John and Robert Saunders as they fought against British oppression and threw off the chains of a heavy monarch; think of James Saunders who left Virgina and headed west with his family to settle a new frontier; think of John Thomas Saunders who held the line at Appomattox and had to watch one of the noblest men ever to walk the face of the Earth, Robert E. Lee, surrender to an invading army; think of Bartow Saunders, Sr. who survived the worst economic Depression of the 20th century and died a millionaire after a lifetime of hard work, struggle, and determination; think of your Great-Grandfather Tup McWaters who risked his life in the South Pacific, who spent 4 years of lonely nights in a fox hole not knowing if the next moment might be his last, who fought against an Empire so mighty that America feared she might not ever be able to overcome it. Yet we did! We overcame it all. Son, our family and our nation has endured much and overcome obstacles that make this current "let down" pale in comparison. And finally my dear sweet son, we must not tire, we must fight on, as was said in a letter by Thomas Jefferson to his beloved wife Martha, "Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time, who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done, if we are always doing. And that you may be always doing good, my dear, is the ardent prayer of yours affectionately."
With my dearest love and prayer for strength for you, Yours truly,
Dad Sphere: Related Content
A CLASS ACT ALL THE WAY
What the mainstream media will not say is what a class act President Bush is now and through the transition. Unknown to most, is that he signed the Executive Order: (for the) Facilitation of a Presidential Transition. This is the first time in history that so orderly and formal a transition is being conducted. If you recall in 2000, President Bush went into the shortest transition in history. Further, he went into the White House that looked like a night-after Frat-boy party. Then, as a "funny joke", the Clinton staffers at Clinton's insistence removed all the "W's" from the typewriters and computer keyboards. President Bush had to spend $18,000 of taxpayer money to repair the damage and clean up after Clinton. This will certainly not happen now. As Bush-1 said when conceding to Bill Clinton, America is "the envy of the world", because of our peaceful transitions. This shows that history will indeed vindicate President George W. Bush on many levels. Truly, a class act all the way.
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