An interesting video about choices we make:
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Memorial Day
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Has Memorial Day become just another Monday holiday?
Did you know this day started after the Civil War?
When I was a younger man, I saw a movie that was set in 1888, and one of the main characters always referred to the conflict as the war between the states. When asked why he didn't call it the Civil War, he replied that there was nothing civil about war.
The most often quoted number of deaths in the US Civil War is between 600,000 and 700,000. The death toll in this single war equals the total US deaths in all other wars combined. (WWI US deaths - 116,000, WWII US deaths - 400,000, American Revolutionary War - 25,000, Viet Nam - 58,000, Korea - 37,000). At the time of the war between the states the US had only fought the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. I can't even begin to imagine the impact so many deaths had on the US society and culture.
I hate reducing war deaths to numbers, each life lost is some one's son or daughter, husband, wife, father, mother, brother, or sister. The numbers are really not the way to record the loss from a war. Each life is sacred and a lost potential. It is numbing to think of the number of deaths.
Worldwide deaths from WWI and WWII are 15,000,000 and 55,000,000 respectively. Adding the Russian Civil war (9,000,000) and the reign of Stalin terror (20,000,000) the death toll from just these four 20th Century events approaches 100,000,000 people. Include the Chinese revolution, Asian conflicts, and African conflicts the total death toll reaches close to 200,000,000. Two hundred million deaths in 100 years.
The 20th Century has to be one of the deadliest centuries in recorded human history. Be thankful that you lived through all the carnage.
Take time this weekend to give thanks for your life and remember those that have given their lives for your safety and freedom.
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Has Memorial Day become just another Monday holiday?
Did you know this day started after the Civil War?
When I was a younger man, I saw a movie that was set in 1888, and one of the main characters always referred to the conflict as the war between the states. When asked why he didn't call it the Civil War, he replied that there was nothing civil about war.
The most often quoted number of deaths in the US Civil War is between 600,000 and 700,000. The death toll in this single war equals the total US deaths in all other wars combined. (WWI US deaths - 116,000, WWII US deaths - 400,000, American Revolutionary War - 25,000, Viet Nam - 58,000, Korea - 37,000). At the time of the war between the states the US had only fought the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. I can't even begin to imagine the impact so many deaths had on the US society and culture.
I hate reducing war deaths to numbers, each life lost is some one's son or daughter, husband, wife, father, mother, brother, or sister. The numbers are really not the way to record the loss from a war. Each life is sacred and a lost potential. It is numbing to think of the number of deaths.
Worldwide deaths from WWI and WWII are 15,000,000 and 55,000,000 respectively. Adding the Russian Civil war (9,000,000) and the reign of Stalin terror (20,000,000) the death toll from just these four 20th Century events approaches 100,000,000 people. Include the Chinese revolution, Asian conflicts, and African conflicts the total death toll reaches close to 200,000,000. Two hundred million deaths in 100 years.
The 20th Century has to be one of the deadliest centuries in recorded human history. Be thankful that you lived through all the carnage.
Take time this weekend to give thanks for your life and remember those that have given their lives for your safety and freedom.
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Abortion
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If you don't believe that human life begins at conception, then the abortion debate really has no meaning.
If you do believe that human life begins at conception, but still think a woman have a right to choose the death of the child, I don't know how to respond to that belief.
If you took the time to view the 'world clock' on the May 6th post, you would see statistics for worldwide deaths. As of this morning, (May 22) YTD worldwide deaths were 23,553,000. This includes deaths from disease and injury. Deaths from abortion are not included in the death total but would add an additional 16,063,000 deaths.
On an annual basis in the US, about 1,200,000 abortions are performed. Worldwide that number jumps to 50,000,000 (fifty million) abortions per year.
My point is, in 4 years 200,000,000 (two hundred million) abortions are performed worldwide or as many deaths as 100 years of war in the bloody 20th Century.
President Obama has said he wants to reduce the number of abortions, so he must not think that they are morally neutral.
A question I have to ask is how many times has the cure for aids or cancer, the solution to the energy crisis or a world peacemaker been destroyed in the mother's womb?
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If you don't believe that human life begins at conception, then the abortion debate really has no meaning.
If you do believe that human life begins at conception, but still think a woman have a right to choose the death of the child, I don't know how to respond to that belief.
If you took the time to view the 'world clock' on the May 6th post, you would see statistics for worldwide deaths. As of this morning, (May 22) YTD worldwide deaths were 23,553,000. This includes deaths from disease and injury. Deaths from abortion are not included in the death total but would add an additional 16,063,000 deaths.
On an annual basis in the US, about 1,200,000 abortions are performed. Worldwide that number jumps to 50,000,000 (fifty million) abortions per year.
My point is, in 4 years 200,000,000 (two hundred million) abortions are performed worldwide or as many deaths as 100 years of war in the bloody 20th Century.
President Obama has said he wants to reduce the number of abortions, so he must not think that they are morally neutral.
A question I have to ask is how many times has the cure for aids or cancer, the solution to the energy crisis or a world peacemaker been destroyed in the mother's womb?
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Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The World Clock
An interesting site is the world clock.
It not only tells the time but has statistics on world population, births, deaths, illnesses (and it is not tracking swine flu), crime, environmental, energy, crime and a few others.
It has given me additional perspective about the world around me. Give it a try.
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It not only tells the time but has statistics on world population, births, deaths, illnesses (and it is not tracking swine flu), crime, environmental, energy, crime and a few others.
It has given me additional perspective about the world around me. Give it a try.
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Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Cinco de Mayo
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Who can forget today is Cinco de Mayo?
It is like the 4th of July holiday in that the holiday names the date, but unlike the 4th of July Cinco de Mayo does not celebrate the Mexican independence day which is September 16th.
Cinco de Mayo celebrates a victory of Mexicans over occupying French troops in the city of Puebla on May 5, 1862.
Celebrating independence or not, it is a good excuse to eat Mexican food and drink a margarita.
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Who can forget today is Cinco de Mayo?
It is like the 4th of July holiday in that the holiday names the date, but unlike the 4th of July Cinco de Mayo does not celebrate the Mexican independence day which is September 16th.
Cinco de Mayo celebrates a victory of Mexicans over occupying French troops in the city of Puebla on May 5, 1862.
Celebrating independence or not, it is a good excuse to eat Mexican food and drink a margarita.
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Swine Flu
With all the news hype about the swine flu, I began to wonder ....
From a USA on-line report dated May 2nd - "Tests had confirmed 397 cases of Influenza A H1N1, or swine flu, in Mexico as of Friday night, up from 312 on Thursday night, Health Secretary José Córdova said. The number of deaths rose from 12 to 16."
I heard a report that there have been a total of 1,000 cases reported world-wide.
The world has a total of 6.742 billion people. So a total of 1 in every 6,742,000 people has the swine flu. The odds of getting hit by lightning in the US in a given year are 1 in 400,000. The odds of getting hit by lightning in your lifetime are 1 in 5,000.
Why isn't Vice President Joe Biden warning everyone to avoid the great outdoors for fear of lightning. Instead he is telling us to avoid confined spaces, the exact opposite of what would probably be the best protection against lightning, a greater threat than swine flu.
What is he trying to do, get us all killed?
From Voice of America News:
"U.S. officials worry that, even if the virus' spread is eventually contained, it could re-emerge months from now during the northern hemisphere's winter flu season, when more than 30,000 Americans die each year from common influenza.
The Obama administration says it is laying the groundwork to develop a vaccine against swine flu, although no decision has been made on large-scale production of such a vaccine."
"Even if the virus' spread is eventually contained"?? - is there an expectation or possibility that the virus will spread totally unchecked through the entire world population?
Why does the media continue to hype a story and not put out the facts?
Why does the government join in?
What is your opinion?
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Friday, May 1, 2009
Mayday, Mayday, Mayday
Mayday, mayday, mayday - the international voice distress call.
This blog is one month old and in danger of death.
It has been fun while it lasted, but it is becoming very dry and lifeless.
Unless someone can give me a reason to continue, we may be at the end.
Please respond.
This blog is one month old and in danger of death.
It has been fun while it lasted, but it is becoming very dry and lifeless.
Unless someone can give me a reason to continue, we may be at the end.
Please respond.
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