Howard Dean is reportedly using religion as his next campaign strategy and so far people don't seem to be buying it. Last week Dean was blasted by Rev. Arthur Hilson of New Hope Baptist Church in Portsmouth, NH for using the Reverend and his wife as backdrops (unawares) for Dean's southern campaign strategy. Seems Rev. Hilson didn't like the idea of being used in this manner though historically democratic candidates for any variety of offices have campaigned from the pulpits of black churches under the guise of "sharing the Word."
I have always thought this was ethically improper for these churches to allow and hypocritical of the candidates and liberals in general to do. Aren't these the folk who constantly chant the mantra, "separation of church and state?" Remember the flap over the Bush visit to Bob Jones University in SC during the last presidential campaign. While that attack started with John McCain, the liberals pushed it forward and had to misrepresent school policy to stir up a firestorm. While the stated complaint was racial bias, the bottom line was the Christian stance of the university and a “rule” that only seems to apply to conservative politicians and their supporters. Bob Jones revised their policy, which had it's roots in concerns by an Asian family, in March 2000.
Now Dean has begun talking religion and it's "role in his life." Never mind that that role will only play a part in his campaigns southern swings. Seems his religion isn't something he is comfortable sharing with his Yankee brethren but southern dems are deemed to be more receptive to Dean's new found religion. While Dean says “you have to respect other people's religious beliefs and honor them, but you don't have to pander to them,'' it seems that is exactly what he is doing. Pandering to the southern vote, the southern black vote especially.
To be fair, Dean for years claimed membership to the Episcopal Church until there was a rift. Apparently his opinions on environmental issues were stronger than doctrinal convictions and Christian brotherhood and forgiveness couldn't breach the differences over a bike path. Now Dean claims to practice Congregationalism though he rarely attends church.
During his campaign Bill Clinton used a similar strategy and it worked. Later in his term of office it became readily apparent how shallow his religious convictions really were. George Bush also claims strong religious convictions. The difference here being Mr. Bush's convictions are very personal and he discusses them on the record when asked but refuses to use them as a prop the heat of political campaigning. Mr. Bush prefers to live his convictions and put them into practice in policy. None of this business of what many candidates seem to hold to; that their "convictions" are strong enough to use to influence the voter, but not strong enough to influence their own lives and decisions.
I suspect that at least some of the electorate will fall for Mr. Dean's strategy. The problem with American politics is two fold. First, it's hard to find a politician honest enough to be straightforward about their lives, their politics, their belief and philosophies. Secondly, the American electorate is a really dumb and gullible animal. Lazy too. We want everything given to us on a silver platter and are dumb enough to believe that it won't cost us. If a politician promises the world, we tend not to question how he's going to do it and what it's going to cost us (ultimately everything, I mean everything ends up saddled on the consumers back). We also do not question what a candidate tells us, failing to submit it to the smell test. "If it sounds good it must be true." But does it smell? If our candidate has a record to the contrary of what they espouse we don't want to know. But if the voter cares to take a wiff, what sounds good may well smell rotten.
So, to Mr. Dean, sounds like a good strategy to use with a disinterested, selfish electorate. To the voter, buyers beware.

Now that Christmas is past us we can now look forward to the coming year and what it will be bringing. Before we leave the Christmas holiday completely I was thinking about the music of Christmas and it occurred to me that of all the music we listen to and sing, it seems the songs that touch us most deeply are those that speak of home.
I'll Be Home For Christmas and There's No Place Like Home For The Holidays are the two that come to mind. Whenever we hear them performed, or join in singing it seems nostalgia and longing for the warm memories of Christmas Past overtake us. Perhaps this is a part of us wanting to recapture the comforts and simplicity of life enjoyed as a child.
The struggles of life, the daily stresses of living, the demands of work and family didn't exist then.
Our big decisions were when the next meal was going to be served and what games we would play. Mom and Dad took care of us, made sure there was food on the table and clean clothes in the dresser. A warm place to sleep would meet us every night and breakfast was on the table when we woke up. And when we woke on Christmas morning the tree was magically surrounded by piles of brightly wrapped gifts and toys we had dreamed of for months.
That all this was the result of hard work, many behind the scene sacrifices, planning and often spending money that wasn't there never entered our minds.
I've no doubt there are those whose memories of childhood are not so pleasant. For them I am sad. To have been raised in a difficult environment where one wasn't afforded the luxury of being a child, shielded from the cares of life would be sad indeed. But even then, on close examination I'm sure in most cases there would be good memories of pleasures borne of the struggle.
Yes, there really is no place like home for the holidays. I enjoy the life I have today, enjoy sharing the Christmas season with my wife's family. Still, after about 18 years of not doing so, I really do long for the time when I can once again spend some time at Christmas with my parents and siblings all together. I know that the Christmases of my mind can no longer exist, just being together once again would be wonderful. There truly is No Place Like Home For The Holidays

Christmas Eve, the shopping's over, the shipping is done, the wrapping is wrapped and the cooking has reaching its peak. Tonight and tomorrow families and friends will gather to share food and fellowship, watch parades, ballgames and movies, exchanging gifts and stories. Reminiscing about the memories of the past. Bringing to life again those who have gone before us as we remember, and laugh, and cry sweet tears of remembrance.
The fireplace will burn bright and someone will stuff all the wrapping paper in it creating an instant firestorm. The decorations will be admired as we again stuff ourselves to satisfaction and then some. Then as we head back out into the evening to return home we will carry with us more memories for next years holiday season.
Hopefully we will find time during all this to remember what all this celebration is about. Many living in America and Western Europe have lost the meaning. The holiday has for them become a great party of food, gifts, games and laughter. Rarely does that first Christmas day enter our minds.
As I drove to work this morning about 12:30 I saw a solitary star peak through the clouds to remind me of that star so long ago that guided the wise men in their quest to find and worship the child.
The rolling hills reminded me of those hills around Bethlehem where shepherds gathered around a fire to warm themselves while their sheep rested nearby. And suddenly a choir of angels announcing the birth of the King interrupted their tranquil night.
The old barn hidden in the shadows of the trees made me think of that little stable where a new mom and dad huddled around their newborn baby. This precious gift, this miracle of birth, this promise, this one born to save his people and all mankind.
As you go about your holiday activities, don't forget the child. Because of the child whose birth we remember and celebrate at Christmas, we can remember and celebrate Easter. When the promise wrapped in swaddling clothes was fulfilled in the victor over death, hell and the grave.
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6
Merry Christmas!

This is one of those days where nothing seems to jell. I read an article about a meeting in Washington between the U.S., the European Union, Russia, Japan, S. Korea and China over the location of the world's first nuclear fusion reactor. The long range implications of this are enormous and there are essentially 2 camps. Russia, China and the E.U. want to locate it in France. The U.S., Japan and S. Korea want it in Japan. There are pros and cons for both locations. However the article (in the BBC Online News Service) indicates the rub is the U.S. against locating it in France because of their opposition to the Iraq war. Well, I don't know about that. Maybe it is true. I'm not so sure I can't blame us for thinking that way.
Just the same, the long term benefits for this type of project for the first country to host a facility can be tremendous. Certainly France has a history of scientific innovation. That's just it. It's a history. Perhaps they can lay claim to more recent scientific discoveries, I just haven't heard of them.
On the other hand, Japan is an undisputed leader in technical and electronic innovation. They have repeatedly demonstrated an ability to excel in science and technology. Japan has nuclear power plants, so does France. So they both can claim working knowledge of nuclear fission. However, fusion is a different animal.
One thing for sure.
A project of this kind will never be located in the U.S. The environmentalist wackos would have a field day tying it up in the courts. The last thing they are interested in is scientific advancement.
They can't even agree among themselves. In CA two opposing environmental groups are fighting over the wind power plants. One says they are needed because they reduce fossil fuel useage and reduce air pollution. The other group says they kill birds that fly into them.
Well, though I'm not a believer in Darwin's "theology," I have to admit, if all these dumb birds are flying into these blades and killling themselves, the ones left are the smarter ones. Survival of the fittest.
Ah well, that's enough rambling for today.

Here it is, the Monday before Christmas, and we just finished putting up all the decorations. We have a history of decorating as if this was going to be our last holiday. Inside, outside, lights, foliage, villages, trees, wreaths, garlands, candles and ornaments. On the top of cabinets and dressers, in the bathrooms, the bedrooms, the kitchen, the living room and office. In the niches, on top of open walls, on the walls. In other words, everywhere you looked it was Christmas.
After attending a progressive dinner Saturday night where my wife received a little battery powered snowman as a gift we came home, placed him on the entertainment center, turned him on and that completed our decorating. In fact, that was our decorating. That one little snowman, on his shoulders (or ball if you will) rests the entirety of our Christmas decorating this year.
Not that we were lazy this year, or a couple humbugs. We just weren’t very motivated. My wife says it’s entirely my fault. Says she couldn’t reach the high places and since I didn’t seem willing, we just didn’t do it. OK. In reality I think she’s secretly just fine with it. No mess to clean up after the decorating. No mess to keep cleaned up with the decorations dropping bits and pieces here and there. No mess to clean up after the un-decorating. Simple, neat and easy. Just change the battery in Frosty so he keeps blinking and your done!
Next year we’ll do better. Drag out the boxes and boxes of decorations. Take days on end untangling lights, placing ornaments, arranging wreaths and garlands, building the village…then again, maybe not.
Frosty looks just fine sitting there.