Monthly Archives: June 2011

CIA 95% finished decrypting Osama’s papers

June 9, 2011 – 7:23 am

 

 
 
 In this May 3, 2011 file photo, local residents gather outside a house, where al-Qaida leader …
By KIMBERLY DOZIER, AP Intelligence Writer Kimberly Dozier, Ap Intelligence Writer – Wed Jun 8, 7:04 pm ET

WASHINGTON – The U.S. is tracking possible new terror targets and stepping up surveillance of operatives previously considered minor al-Qaida figures after digging through the mountain of correspondence seized from Osama bin Laden’s hideout, officials say. The trove of material is filling in blanks on how al-Qaida operatives work, think and fit in the organization, they say.

The new information is the result of five weeks of round-the-clock work by a CIA-led team of data analysts, cyber experts and translators who are 95 percent finished decrypting and translating the years of material and expect to complete the effort by mid-June, two U.S. officials say.

Al-Qaida operatives worldwide are feeling the heat, with at least two of them altering their travel plans in recent weeks in apparent alarm that they might become the targets of another U.S. raid, one official said.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the review of bin Laden files taken by U.S. Navy SEALs in a May 2 raid on his Abbottabad, Pakistan, hideout.

The items taken by the SEALs from bin Laden’s second-floor office included a handwritten journal, five computers, 10 hard drives and 110 thumb drives.

Copies of the material have been distributed to agencies from the FBI to the Defense Intelligence Agency to continue long-term analysis, one official said. The material is now classified, greatly limiting the number of people who can see it and making any detailed public accounting of the contents a crime.

FBI Director Robert Mueller told Congress on Wednesday that one of the early assessments from the trove is that al-Qaida remains committed to attacking the United States.

“We continue to exploit the materials seized from bin Laden’s compound” and “we are focused on the new information about the homeland threat gained from this operation,” Mueller told the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is considering legislation that would extend Mueller’s job for up to two more years.

There is nothing in the bin Laden files so far to indicate an imminent attack, three officials said. The U.S. has increased its vigilance regarding some of the targets bin Laden suggests to his operatives, from smaller U.S. cities to mass transport systems, to U.S. embassies abroad and even oil tankers in the Persian Gulf.

A law enforcement official briefed on the process said investigators have been analyzing raw digital data found on multiple hard drives and flash drives, and that some of it consists of sequences of numbers. Investigators were trying to discern potential bank account or phone numbers that might point to al-Qaida contacts in the United States or elsewhere, or codes that could produce other leads, said the official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss the analysis and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Especially useful in the communications between bin Laden and his followers from Asia to Europe to Africa is the light they shed on the personalities of known al-Qaida operatives and what drives the various terrorist commanders who corresponded with bin Laden, officials said.

Like an email chain showing office politics, with various members of the hierarchy weighing in and sometimes back-stabbing each other, the communications show different officials vying for the boss’ attention and working the system, the officials said.

Some proposed daring raids aimed at causing mass casualties, like the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, while others proposed smaller targets to circumvent increased security measures worldwide.

While bin Laden continued to laud the merits of large-scale attacks, the records show he also embraced the shift to smaller operations carried out by Yemen’s al-Qaida of the Arabian Peninsula as a way to retain the broader organization’s image as a viable terrorist group able to strike U.S. targets, officials said.

It’s not clear that any of the affiliates who were proposing some of the larger-scale attacks had the ability to carry them out, one of the officials said. After the initial proposal of an idea, there were no follow-up proposals in the trove describing specific resources available to go after a suggested large-scale target.

And while the al-Qaida chief advised his operatives on targets to strike, and helped them devise ways to hit those targets, there is no evidence in the files that any of the ideas bin Laden proposed led to a specific action that was later carried out, the officials say. For instance, though bin Laden advised Europe-based militants to attack in unspecified continental European countries just before Christmas, the threat never resulted in an actual attempted attack, the officials said.

There have been small-scale violent incidents in Denmark, where bin Laden had repeatedly encouraged followers to attack because of disparaging references to the Muslim prophet Mohammed in Danish media, the officials said. But he did not seem to be involved in planning those specific incidents, the officials said.

As for bin Laden’s suggestion to hit oil tankers, there is an indication of intent, with operatives seeking the size and construction of tankers, and concluding it’s best to blow them up from the inside because of the strength of their hulls. In a confidential warning obtained by The Associated Press, the FBI and the Homeland Security Department said that al-Qaida operatives also recommended test runs, but there’s no evidence the plot went any further, the officials say.

The U.S. has briefed allies such as Britain, Germany and other countries in Europe on the contents of the trove relevant to their nations or their portions of the counterterror fight, officials said.

They have also shared some of the information with Pakistan, as part of an effort to renew cooperation with Islamabad, in the wake of the raid, U.S. and Pakistani officials said. The U.S. hid the operation from Pakistan for fear that the raid plans would leak to militants, but the unilateral action brought protests from Pakistani leaders over what they called an affront to their sovereignty.

High-level U.S. visits have aimed to take the edge off that dispute, including a visit by CIA Deputy Director Mike Morell, who met with intelligence chief Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha last month.

After that outreach, Pakistan allowed the CIA to re-examine the bin Laden compound. Pakistan also returned the tail section of a U.S. stealth Black Hawk helicopter that broke off when the SEALs blew up the aircraft to destroy its secret noise- and radar-deadening technology.

The investigative team, made up mainly of intelligence officers from both nations, will compare the CIA’s analysis of computer and written files with Pakistani intelligence gleaned from interrogations of those who frequented or lived near the bin Laden compound, the officials said.

Pakistan’s intelligence service has been interviewing those who spent time at the compound, from a guard who used to do the compound’s grocery shopping, to an extremist sheik who came in weekly to teach the 18 children that Navy SEALs counted at the compound the night of the raid.

Pakistani officials described the emerging picture of life inside the compound. One official described it as bleak, almost prison-like in its austerity.

Some of the roughly two dozen surviving residents told Pakistani intelligence they subsisted on a weekly delivery of one goat, which they slaughtered inside the compound, plus milk from a couple of cows kept in the courtyard. There were also eggs from chickens that roamed the courtyard, and vegetables from a small kitchen garden.

Bin Laden’s upper apartments were bare of paint or adornment on the walls. There were only two beds, a double and a single, both of poor quality, one Pakistani official said. Officials haven’t determined the sleeping arrangements for bin Laden and his three wives among the beds, he added.

Bin Laden’s rooms did have the only air conditioner in the compound, in a region where summer temperatures can top 100 degrees Fahrenheit. There were no heaters, despite winters where temperatures can drop to freezing. That could explain the blanket bin Laden clutches around him in one of the videos taken from his office.

___

Associated press writers Pete Yost in Washington and Tom Hays in New York contributed to this report.

File picture shows Osama bin Laden sitting with ...

Osama bin Laden

Osama bin Laden (L) sits with his adviser and purported successor Ayman al-Zawahri, an Egyptian linked to the al Qaeda network, during an interview with Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir (not pictured), in a file image supplied by the Dawn newspaper on November 10, 2001. Osama bin Laden’s longtime lieutenant, Ayman al-Zawahri, said the United States faces rebellion throughout the Muslim world after killing the al Qaeda leader, according to a 28-minute YouTube recording posted on June 8, 2011. In what appeared to be his first public response to bin Laden’s death in a U.S. commando raid in Pakistan in May 2011, the Egyptian-born Zawahri warned Americans not to gloat and vowed to press ahead with al Qaeda’s campaign against the United States and its allies. REUTERS/Hamid Mir/Editor/Ausaf Newspaper for Daily Dawn/Files « Read less

(AFGHANISTAN – Tags: POLITICS CONFLICT IMAGES OF THE DAY)

 Other posts about Osama bin Laden:

CIA 95% finished decrypting Osama’s papers

      The Associated Press reported on June 8, 2011:    In this May 3, 2011 file photo, local residents gather outside a house, where al-Qaida leader … By KIMBERLY DOZIER, AP Intelligence Writer Kimberly Dozier, Ap Intelligence Writer – Wed Jun 8, 7:04 pm ET WASHINGTON – The U.S. is tracking possible new terror targets and stepping up […]

 

Is God responsible for evil, many Arkansas Times bloggers say yes!!(Part 3)

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For small group of CIA veterans, the death of Osama bin Laden was revenge for two CIA deaths

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Osama bin Laden’s last audio recording released by Al Qaeda

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“We have done this to avenge…”Ahsanullah Ahsan, a spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban

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NYC Terror Plot Arrest May 12, 2011

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Osama bin Laden knew big body count on level of 9/11 was needed to get U.S. forces to withdraw

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Hamza bin Laden wants to keep his father’s family business of terror going

AP Osama’s youngest son, Hamza, is believed to have escaped the compound where his terror fiend dad was killed by SEALs. Chuck Bennett of the NY Post in his article “Osama’s youngest son escaped capture,” wrote this morning: Osama bin Laden’s youngest known son — a budding teen terrorist groomed since childhood to wage jihad […]

 

Osama bin Laden’s sons think U.S. broke international law

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President Obama on 60 minutes yesterday

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Details of how Osama bin Laden was caught

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President Obama: Osama bin Laden probably had support network in Pakistan

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CIA Chief Leon Panetta said harsh interrogation techniques yielded some of the information that led to Osama bin Laden

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Mike Huckabee to Osama bin Laden: “Welcome to Hell” (Part 5)

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Al Qaeda confirms Osama bin Laden is dead

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Take a look at videos captured at Osama bin Laden’s compound

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Inside Osama bin Laden’s Compound

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Osama Bin Laden had several wives at Compound and one may have helped seals

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Will new Osama bil Laden video clip show up after his death?

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Inside the Situation Room with President Obama as they watched live the operation to take out Osama bin Laden

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By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events | Comments (0)

Lightning Strike at Camp Shelby

June 9, 2011 – 6:54 am

My son has spent a lot of time at Camp Shelby, but he was on duty in Arkansas at the time of the lightning strike at Camp Shelby in Mississippi.

Nashville Lightning

 
Courtesy of WSMV-TV
 

Lightning Strike At Mississippi Military Base Sends 77 To Hospital

By Michael Martinez CNN 
 
— A lightning strike Wednesday afternoon sent 77 Air Force ROTC cadets to hospitals in the Hattiesburg, Mississippi, area, where they were all responsive and in stable condition, according to spokeswoman Maj. Deidre Musgrave of Camp Shelby.

 

Two of the 77 were sent by ambulance, and the remaining 75 were sent to the hospital by Camp Shelby buses, Musgrave told CNN. 

All 77 were college students enrolled in the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, which uses Camp Shelby as its summer training site, Musgrave said. 

The cadets, all of whom are seeking to become Air Force officers, come from universities across the country and had been scheduled to spend two weeks at an on-site forward operating base simulated training center, Musgrave said. 

Musgrave said the base had been under a severe thunderstorm warning when the lightning strike occurred and that the facility had been receiving reports of bad weather all day. She said she didn’t know what the cadets were doing when the accident occurred. 

CNN affiliate WDAM reported that four of the cadets were close to the lightning when it struck. 

The personnel were sent for medical evaluation because they were in the area of the lightning strike at a training site on Camp Shelby around 2 p.m., Musgrave said in a news release. 

“We always want to be safe,” she said. 

The remaining personnel at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center quickly responded to the situation to ensure that anyone injured received medical attention, Musgrave said.

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events | Comments (0)

Will Maria Shriver’s marriage survive Arnold Schwarzenegger’s admission of infidelity? I hope so (Part 28)

June 9, 2011 – 6:39 am

Weekend To Remember Conference Testimony

Here’s a couple who went to a FamilyLife Conference and how it made a difference in their marriage.

Christina Schwarzenegger Governor Schwarzenegger goes to cast his vote on election day with his wife Maria Shriver and their daughters Christina and Katherine (her first time voting), at the Kenter Canyon elementary school in Brentwood.

The Schwarzenegger Family Voting

Governor Schwarzenegger goes to cast his vote on election day with his wife Maria Shriver and their daughters Christina and Katherine (her first time voting), at the Kenter Canyon elementary school in Brentwood.

Maria Shriver Asks – How Do You Handle Transitions in Your Life?

Arnold Schwarzenegger admitted to his wife several months ago that he had fathered a child about 10 years ago with a member of their household staff. Maria moved out, but has not filed for divorce. In the you tube clip above she comments:

“Like a lot of you I’m in transition: people come up to me all the time, asking, what are you doing next?” she said, adding: “It’s so stressful to not know what you are doing next when people ask what you are doing and they can’t believe you don’t know what you are doing.”

“I’d like to hear from other people who are in transition,” she said. “How did you find your transition: Personal, professional, emotional, spiritual, financial? How did you get through it?”

Mrs. Shriver has asked for spiritual input and I personally think that unless she gets the spiritual help that she needs then she will end up in the divorce court. I am starting a series on how a marriage can survive an infidelity. My first suggestion would be to attend a “Weekend to Remember” put on by the organization “Family Life” out of Little Rock, Arkansas. I actually posted this as a response to Mrs. Shriver’s request on you tube.

I was very encouraged by this story below:

From Home-less to Home-maker:How God transformed a rebellious teenager into His ambassador for the family by Carrie King
You might say that my passion for the family today is surprising, considering where I’ve come from. When I was a teenager I didn’t even like kids. It was all about me and what made me happy.

At that time, I couldn’t have imagined my life today: a mom with three children. Never in a million years would I have dreamed that some day my husband and I would be reaching out to help other couples become passionate about marriage and family.

My life seemed okay until I was 15 years old and my family moved from Arizona to South Dakota. I guess you could have described me as a social butterfly back then. Lunch was the most important part of my school day because I got to see all of my friends. I had just made the dance team … and then my dad got transferred.

I was so angry about moving that I became an unruly, disrespectful teen. I was downright mean to my parents. They tried to make it up to me by having a going-away party, but on that last night at home, unbeknownst to them, I was date-raped. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t tell anyone except for one girlfriend, and she didn’t understand.

I never wanted a boy to take advantage of me again, so I decided that I had to be in control. I became aggressive sexually and had many immoral relationships. When my folks found out what my boyfriend and I were doing they became angry and told us to stop. But anything they told me not to do was just an invitation for me to do it.

On my own

When I was a senior in high school, I had had enough and moved out of the house. I knew that it was up to me to take care of myself. Somehow I managed to barely graduate, and I earned enough money working at the mall to pay bills.

Things went from bad to worse. I had roommate after roommate and relationship after relationship. Then some strange guy sent me a card at work and said he’d seen me and wanted to go out with me. He even gave me his phone number.

I was living in an abusive relationship at the time. My boyfriend called me some really degrading names and said that he didn’t want anything to do with me. I was devastated. All I ever wanted was to belong … for someone to love me.

It seemed like my only real friends in life were Fred and Abraham, my goldfish. They were very forgiving, and kept living even if I forgot to feed them for a day or two. I still had them.

“This is not the plan … “

Valentine’s Day was approaching, and I had no boyfriend. I couldn’t bear the thought of not having a date, so I did the unthinkable: I called the strange guy who had sent me the note. He said that we could go out—after he went to church, of all things!

But before we were able to meet, I got some more bad news: I got kicked out of the house where I rented a room. I just couldn’t take life any more and swallowed a bottle of pills, wanting desperately to end it all. My roommate came in and saw the pills. She took me to the hospital where they pumped my stomach … and called my parents.

During eight days of intensive therapy, never-ending tears seemed to flow from my eyes. God seemed to say to me, “Carrie, this is not the plan that I have for you.”

My parents said that I could move back home. Since I had no place else to go, that’s what I did.

When that strange guy called to find out why I hadn’t made our date, I apologized and explained that there had been a family emergency. Then I thought, “Hey, I’ve got to be real.” So, I told him what happened—how I had tried to commit suicide. I thought, “That’ll scare him off!” But it didn’t.

Bryan King was the first real date I ever had. We talked for three hours and he explained how I could have a personal relationship with God. I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

The emptiness was gone. God seemed to say to me, “You are valuable because I value you.”

Bryan said that he never intended to date me; he had just wanted to share the hope of Jesus Christ with me. But I guess God had other plans, because we were engaged six weeks later and married eight months after our first date. I’m sure people were making wagers at the wedding on how long our marriage would last, but we’ve been married now for over 10 years. We have three wonderful children.

A welcome break

After we had been married three years, a good friend of Bryan’s invited us to a Weekend to Remember® marriage getaway. “You guys are going to love it! It’s a fun getaway, and you’ll get a night in a hotel with your wife.”

At the time, it seemed that all we talked about was when Samantha (our oldest) needed her diaper changed, or what time Brady (our second child) needed to eat. A night away from the kids with me was all Bryan had to hear. And a weekend getaway sounded pretty good to me, too.

Although we learned a lot at that first getaway, we found ourselves right back in the world’s pattern of 50/50—you do your part, and I’ll do mine. It was so easy to get into the rut of, “I got up with the baby last night, it’s your turn.”

But the principles that we learned helped us identify that we were heading down the wrong path. We were able to make adjustments and look to God’s way instead of the world’s way. Instead of looking at circumstances and claiming our individual rights, we started looking for ways to serve one another and stopped keeping track of who did what.

After that weekend, Bryan and I started setting bi-weekly date nights and became intentional about our time together. We found it very important to stay “checked into” each other’s thoughts, feelings, and ideas … even when everything around us screamed, “Check out.”

Volunteers with FamilyLife

After attending our first Weekend to Remember, Bryan’s good friend (the one who invited us) said, “Isn’t this something to be passionate about?” He encouraged us to volunteer on the city ministry team that helped promote the conference in Sioux Falls, S.D., and we’ve been on it ever since.

Being FamilyLife volunteers has given us a ministry that we can do together. We’ve grown so close to one another and to the others on the city ministry team. Sometimes we ask ourselves, “If we don’t fight for these marriages, who’s going to?”

When you look around a conference ballroom and see the happy faces, you can’t even imagine anyone having marital problems. And then you read the prayer requests, where couples indicate that a husband has committed adultery, or a wife is pregnant with somebody else’s child, or they are struggling with alcoholism or abuse … there are so many deep-rooted problems.

And then you read an evaluation that says, “My husband accepted Christ today. I don’t know what this means for our marriage but praise God that his heart is softening.” It’s so exciting to see people not only opening up their hearts at a Weekend to Remember, but also learning Who to turn to. And that’s God—Jesus Christ.

God used FamilyLife in Bryan’s and my marriage to bring His Word to life, and we want to help other couples experience the same thing. We are passionate about battling to preserve God’s families. FamilyLife presents the tools. They give the practical application of God’s Word. A Weekend to Remember just puts God’s blueprints for the family into real life words with the speakers and the projects. The conference is all biblically based; that’s why it works.

God’s plans for my life

If you had known me 11 years ago, I doubt that you would have believed that anything good would’ve come out of my life. I was even named Mrs. South Dakota in 2005 and my platform was the family. Who would have imagined that?

Who would have guessed 11 years ago that I would have a strong marriage and three wonderful children?

Who would have guessed that I would be a volunteer for a ministry to marriages and families—that God would use me to help strengthen homes?

We are told in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Even when I couldn’t see it, God had great plans for my life!

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events | Comments (0)

Humanist asserts: “Neither am I an advocate of Hitler; however, by whose criteria is he evil?” (Hitler’s letter from 1919 revealed)

June 8, 2011 – 4:15 pm
 

The Associated Press reported today: 

 The signature under the typewritten words on yellowing sheets of nearly century-old paper is unmistakable: Adolf Hitler, with the last few scribbled letters drooping downward.

The date is 1919 and, decades before the Holocaust, the 30-year-old German soldier — born in Austria — penned what are believed to be Hitler’s first written comments calling for the annihilation of Jews.

Hitler “set the gold standard about man’s inhumanity to man,” said Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, named after the late Nazi hunter.

Ziegler is said to have found the four typed pages in a Nazi archive near Nuremberg, Germany, in the final months of World War II.

“The danger posed by Jewry for our people today finds expression in the undeniable aversion of wide sections of our people,” Hitler wrote in German. “The cause of this aversion … arises mostly from personal contact and from the personal impression that the individual Jew leaves — almost always an unfavorable one.”

In one section, Hitler said that a powerful government could curtail the so-called “Jewish threat” by denying their rights. But “its final aim, however, must be the uncompromising removal of the Jews altogether.”

At the time, Hitler was serving in the German army, and had taken to riling up the troops with his anti-Semitic rants. A superior officer urged Hitler to put his ideas on paper.


Adolf Hitler (shown left-under x) during World War I with fellow German soldiers. The dog
had the name Fuchsl and was actually Hitler’s pet during the war until it was stolen from him.

______________________________________________

Known as the Gemlich letter, the document was certified as authentic in 1988 by handwriting expert Charles Hamilton, who had revealed the infamous “Hitler Diaries” to be forgeries.

Adolf Gemlich created propaganda for the German army. Hitler wrote the letter to him at the suggestion of Captain Ulrich Mayr, to help popularize the notion that someone was responsible for Germany’s defeat in World War I.

Hitler signed his letter, “Mit vorzueglicher Hochachtung,” meaning with deepest esteem.

“This is a seminal document that belongs to future generations,” said the rabbi.

Early in his career Hitler was popular and many of the German people bought into his anti-semetic views. Does the atheist have an intellectual basis to condemn Hitler’s actions?

____________________________________ 

 Francis Schaeffer
Francis Schaeffer pictured above.
 
Humanist Abigail Ann Martin asserted, “Neither am I an advocate of Hitler; however, by whose criteria is he evil?” (The Humanist, September/October 1997, p. 2.). 
 
I am simply amazed at such a hateful statement!!! However, we know from the above letter that Hitler was popular with the army in 1919, and had “taken to riling up the troops with his anti-Semitic rants. A superior officer urged Hitler to put his ideas on paper.”
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I personally met someone who was part of the Hitler youth movement in Germany in the 1930’s and until his dying day he believed that Hitler was right. I had a basis for knowing that Hitler was wrong and here it is below.
 
It is my view that according the Bible all men are created by God and are valuable.  However, the atheist has no basis for coming to this same conclusion. Francis Schaeffer put it this way:
 
We cannot deal with people like human beings, we cannot deal with them on the high level of true humanity, unless we really know their origin—who they are. God tells man who he is. God tells us that He created man in His image. So man is some- thing wonderful.
 
Francis Schaeffer died in 1984, but there is a website dedicated to his works. In 1972 he wrote the book “He is There and He is Not Silent.” Here is the statement that sums up that book: 

One of philosophy’s biggest problems is that anything exists at all and has the form that it does. Another is that man exists as a personal being and makes true choices and has moral responsibility. The Bible gives sufficient answers to these problems. In fact, the only sufficient answer is that the infinite-personal triune God is there and He is not silent. He has spoken to man in the Bible.

I am a big Woody Allen movie fan and no other movie better demonstrates the need for an afterlife  than Allen’s 1989 film  Crimes and Misdemeanors. This film also brought up the view that Hitler believed that “might made right.” How can an atheist argue against that?  Basically Woody Allen is attacking the weaknesses in his own agnostic point of view!! Take a look at the video clip below when he says in the absence of God, man has to do the right thing. What chance is there that will happen?

Crimes and Misdemeanors is  about a eye doctor who hires a killer to murder his mistress because she continually threatens to blow the whistle on his past questionable, probably illegal, business activities. Afterward he is haunted by guilt. His Jewish father had taught him that God sees all and will surely punish the evildoer.

But the doctor’s crime is never discovered. Later in the film, Judah reflects on the conversation his father had with Judah’s unbelieving Aunt May during a Jewish Sedar dinner  many years ago:

“Come on Sol, open your eyes. Six million Jews burned to death by the Nazi’s, and they got away with it because might makes right,” says Aunt May.

Sol replies, “May, how did they get away with it?”

Judah asks, “If a man kills, then what?”

Sol responds to his son, “Then in one way or another he will be punished.”

Aunt May comments, “I say if he can do it and get away with it and he chooses not to be bothered by the ethics, then he is home free.”

Judah’s final conclusion was that might did make right. He observed that one day, because of this conclusion, he woke up and the cloud of guilt was gone. He was, as his aunt said, “home free.”

The basic question Woody Allen is presenting to his own agnostic humanistic worldview is: If you really believe there is no God there to punish you in an afterlife, then why not murder if you can get away with it?  The secular humanist worldview that modern man has adopted does not work in the real world that God has created. God “has planted eternity in the human heart…” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). This is a direct result of our God-given conscience. The apostle Paul said it best in Romans 1:19, “For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God  has shown it to them” (Amplified Version).

It’s no wonder, then, that one of Allen’s fellow humanists would comment, “Certain moral truths — such as do not kill, do not steal, and do not lie — do have a special status of being not just ‘mere opinion’ but bulwarks of humanitarian action. I have no intention of saying, ‘I think Hitler was wrong.’ Hitler WAS wrong.” (Gloria Leitner, “A Perspective on Belief,” The Humanist, May/June 1997, pp.38-39). Here Leitner is reasoning from her God-given conscience and not from humanist philosophy. It wasn’t long before she received criticism.

Humanist Abigail Ann Martin responded, “Neither am I an advocate of Hitler; however, by whose criteria is he evil?” (The Humanist, September/October 1997, p. 2.). Humanists don’t really have an intellectual basis for saying that Hitler was wrong, but their God-given conscience tells them that they are wrong on this issue.

Crimes and Misdemeanors (Woody Allen – 1989) – Final scenes

Another example of how a God-given conscience is affecting a very popular singer can be found in Chris Martin of Coldplay Evidently  Chris Martin who said he resented dogmatic religious views a few years ago, has now written a grammy winning song that pictures an evil king being punished in an afterlife. (Check out earlier post.) Could it be that his God-given conscience prompted him to put that line in? Or do men like Hitler get off home free as Woody Allen suggested in Crimes and Misdemeanors?

Other posts that deal with Coldplay:

Three things that do not bring lasting Satisfaction, (Coldplay’s spiritual search Part 5)

Coldplay – 42 Live Coldplay perform on the french television channel W9. I wrote this article a couple of years ago: The Spiritual Search for the Afterlife Russ Breimeier rightly noted that it seems that Coldplay is “on the verge of identifying a great Truth” and their latest CD is very provocative. Many songs mention […]

Are Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin looking for Spiritual Answers? (Coldplay’s spiritual search Part 4)

  CP I wrote this article a couple of years ago. Are Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin looking for Spiritual Answers? Just like King Solomon’s predicament in the Book of Ecclesiastes, both of these individuals are very wealthy, famous, and successful, but they still are seeking satisfying answers to life’s greatest questions even though it […]

Insight into what Coldplay meant by “St. Peter won’t call my name” (Series on Coldplay’s spiritual search, Part 3)

Coldplay seeks to corner the market on earnest and expressive rock music that currently appeals to wide audiences Here is an article I wrote a couple of years ago about Chris Martin’s view of hell. He says he does not believe in it but for some reason he writes a song that teaches that it […]

Will Coldplay’s 2011 album continue on spiritual themes found in 2008 Viva La Vida? (Series on Coldplay’s spiritual search, Part 2)

Views:2 By waymedia Coldplay Coldplay – Life In Technicolor ii Back in 2008 I wrote a paper on the spiritual themes of Coldplay’s album Viva La Vida and I predicted this spiritual search would continue in the future. Below is the second part of the paper, “Coldplay’s latest musical lyrics indicate a Spiritual Search for the […]

Will Coldplay’s 2011 album continue on spiritual themes found in 2008 Viva La Vida? (Series on Coldplay’s spiritual search, Part 1)

Coldplay performing “Glass of Water.” Back in 2008 I wrote a paper on the spiritual themes of Coldplay’s album Viva La Vida and I predicted this spiritual search would continue in the future. Below is the first part of the paper, “Coldplay’s latest musical lyrics indicate a Spiritual Search for the Afterlife.” Coldplay’s latest musical […]

The wait is over, Coldplay single “Every Teardrop is a waterfall”

Coldplay – Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall (Official) The new single – download it now from iTunes at http://cldp.ly/itunescp (except in the UK, where it will be released to download stores at 12.01am on Sunday June 5th). Written by Berryman / Buckland / Champion / Martin / Allen / Anderson. Produced by Markus Dravs, Dan […]

 
By Everette Hatcher III, on June 4, 2011 at 1:43 pm, under Current Events. No Comment
By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Francis Schaeffer | Comments (0)

War Hero Joe Speaks and D Day pictures

June 8, 2011 – 1:53 pm

 Below I have the story of Joe Speaks who fought in Europe and was captured twice by the Germans.

American GI's clamber into a landing craft as they prepare to hit the beaches along France's Normandy coast in June 1944. The World War II operation was part of the massive Allied D-Day invasion to chase German forces out of France. An armada of landing vessels sits in the background under barrage balloons. (AP Photo/Wartime Pool)

Photo by Associated Press

American GI’s clamber into a landing craft as they prepare to hit the beaches along France’s Normandy coast in June 1944. The World War II operation was part of the massive Allied D-Day invasion to chase German forces out of France. An armada of landing vessels sits in the background under barrage balloons. (AP Photo/Wartime Pool)

A U.S. Coast Guard landing barge, tightly packed with helmeted soldiers, approaches the shore at Normandy, France, during initial Allied landing operations, June 6, 1944. These barges ride back and forth across the English Channel, bringing wave after wave of reinforcement troops to the Allied beachheads. (AP Photo)

Photo by Associated Press

A U.S. Coast Guard landing barge, tightly packed with helmeted soldiers, approaches the shore at Normandy, France, during initial Allied landing operations, June 6, 1944. These barges ride back and forth across the English Channel, bringing wave after wave of reinforcement troops to the Allied beachheads. (AP Photo)

U.S. paratroopers fix their static lines before a jump before dawn over Normandy on D-Day June 6, 1944, in France. The decision to launch the airborne attack in darkness instead of waiting for first light was probably one of the few Allied missteps on June 6, and there was much to criticize both in the training and equipment given to paratroopers and glider-borne troops of the 82nd and 101st airborne divisions. Improvements were called for after the invasion; the hard-won knowledge would be used to advantage later. (AP Photo/Army Signal Corps)

Photo by AP / U.S. Army Signal Corps

U.S. paratroopers fix their static lines before a jump before dawn over Normandy on D-Day June 6, 1944, in France. The decision to launch the airborne attack in darkness instead of waiting for first light was probably one of the few Allied missteps on June 6, and there was much to criticize both in the training and equipment given to paratroopers and glider-borne troops of the 82nd and 101st airborne divisions. Improvements were called for after the invasion; the hard-won knowledge would be used to advantage later. (AP Photo/Army Signal Corps)

Story of Joe Speaks:

On Sunday June 27th, 2010 in the article “Heroes among us,” Benton Courier, there was a story about Larry’s father Joe. Here is a portion of that article: 

Larry Joe Speaks of Cabot is my wife’s cousin, and recently he told me about his father’s time in World War II. Joe Speaks (originally from Waldron , Ark. ) arrived in Normandy six days after D-Day (June 6, 1944), and he was involved in the Battle of the Bulge and he fought at Bastogne . The Battle of the Bulge was the bloodiest of the battles that U.S. forces experienced in World War II; the 19,000 American dead were unsurpassed by those of any other engagement. 

During one day of intense fighting, Speaks was so focused on shooting and reloading during the heat of the action that he did not realize that his leg had been struck by shrapnel during the battle. As soon as the battle was over, a fellow soldier pointed out that his boot was filled with blood. Speaks said he had not felt a thing.  

In another battle, Speaks was on the second floor of a building involved in a machine gun battle with the Germans. Then in the middle of the battle, the soldier in charge of getting the ammunition from downstairs did not return. So Speaks went downstairs to get the ammunition and discovered the Germans were holding everyone at gunpoint. Speaks asked the lieutenant upstairs to come down because the situation was hopeless, but the lieutenant refused.  

Then the Germans took their prisoners and backed off some and bombed the building. For the next two weeks, the American prisoners were forced to march back and forth next to that building with the lieutenant’s boot still sticking out of the rumble.  

When the Germans were not looking, Speaks and another soldier took off running and escaped. They made it to a farm owned by a German lady, and they made up a story that Hitler had been killed and the lady broke down and cried. She allowed them to stay in the barn until the end of the war.  

Joe Speaks passed away on March 1, 1999, at age 73 and was buried in Sheridan . He had received two Purple Hearts, a Silver Cross and a Silver Eagle. 

In this June 6, 1944 file photo, while under attack of heavy machine gun fire from the German coastal defense forces, American soldiers wade ashore off the ramp of a U.S. Coast Guard landing craft during the Allied landing operations at the Normandy. (AP Photo)

Photo by Associated Press

In this June 6, 1944 file photo, while under attack of heavy machine gun fire from the German coastal defense forces, American soldiers wade ashore off the ramp of a U.S. Coast Guard landing craft during the Allied landing operations at the Normandy. (AP Photo)

This was the scene along a section of Omaha Beach in June, 1944 during Operation Overlord, the code name for the Normandy invasion during World War II. Large landing craft put troops and supplies on shore at Omaha, one of five invasion beaches. In background is part of the fleet of 2,727 ships that brought the allied troops from Britain. In the air are barrage balloons, designed to entangle low-flying attack aircraft in their cables. (AP Photo/files)

Photo by Associated Press

This was the scene along a section of Omaha Beach in June, 1944 during Operation Overlord, the code name for the Normandy invasion during World War II. Large landing craft put troops and supplies on shore at Omaha, one of five invasion beaches. In background is part of the fleet of 2,727 ships that brought the allied troops from Britain. In the air are barrage balloons, designed to entangle low-flying attack aircraft in their cables. (AP Photo/files)

Members of an American landing unit help their exhausted comrades ashore during the Normandy invasion, June 6, 1944. The men reached the zone code-named Utah Beach, near Sainte Mere Eglise, on a life raft after their landing craft was hit and sunk by German coastal defenses. (AP Photo)

Photo by Associated Press

Members of an American landing unit help their exhausted comrades ashore during the Normandy invasion, June 6, 1944. The men reached the zone code-named Utah Beach, near Sainte Mere Eglise, on a life raft after their landing craft was hit and sunk by German coastal defenses. (AP Photo)

U.S. Air Force photograph of P-38's streaking towards France on D-Day.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

U.S. Air Force photograph of P-38’s streaking towards France on D-Day.

Men of the American assault troops of the 16th Infantry Regiment, injured while storming a coastal area code-named Omaha Beach during the Allied invasion of the Normandy, wait by the chalk cliffs at Collville-sur-Mer for evacuation to a field hospital for further treatment, June 6, 1944. (AP Photo)

Photo by Associated Press

Men of the American assault troops of the 16th Infantry Regiment, injured while storming a coastal area code-named Omaha Beach during the Allied invasion of the Normandy, wait by the chalk cliffs at Collville-sur-Mer for evacuation to a field hospital for further treatment, June 6, 1944. (AP Photo)

German prisoners of war are led away by Allied forces from Utah Beach, on June 6, 1944, during landing operations at the Normandy coast, France. (AP Photo)

Photo by Associated Press

German prisoners of war are led away by Allied forces from Utah Beach, on June 6, 1944, during landing operations at the Normandy coast, France. (AP Photo)

Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower visits paratroopers, including Bill Hayes, at center behind Ike's right hand, in England on June 5, 1944, moments before the troops boarded transport planes bound for Normandy and the June 6 D-Day invasion. Hayes, who now lives in Fargo, N.D., recalls how he told Eisenhower that he was 'damned scared' before the mission, his first combat jump of the war. This photo became a pre-invasion classic and continues to bring Hayes a measure of celebrity. (AP Photo/File)

Photo by Associated Press

Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower visits paratroopers, including Bill Hayes, at center behind Ike’s right hand, in England on June 5, 1944, moments before the troops boarded transport planes bound for Normandy and the June 6 D-Day invasion. Hayes, who now lives in Fargo, N.D., recalls how he told Eisenhower that he was “damned scared” before the mission, his first combat jump of the war. This photo became a pre-invasion classic and continues to bring Hayes a measure of celebrity. (AP Photo/File)

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in War Heroes | Comments (0)

Ex-Duke basketball 1983 captain Tom Emma committed suicide because of depression

June 8, 2011 – 12:56 pm

Former Duke basketball captain found dead in NYC

Ex-Duke basketball team captain, Bulls draft pick Tom Emma jumps to death from roof of Midtown club

BY Rocco Parascandola, John Lauinger, Edgar Sandoval and Joe Kemp
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

Tuesday, June 7th 2011, 8:03 PM

Thomas Emma died in a fall from the New York Athletic Club in Manhatan.

powerperformance.net

Thomas Emma died in a fall from the New York Athletic Club in Manhatan.

A former Duke University basketball team captain jumped to his death Tuesday from the roof of a private athletic club in Midtown, police sources said.

Tom Emma, 49, jumped from atop the New York Athletic Club at 180 Central Park South shortly before 11:30 a.m.

Police found his body on the second-story landing of the Jumeirah Essex House next door. He was dead, cops said.

Emma, who lived on the upper East Side, was a member of the club, which has a common area on the roof. He did not leave a suicide note, police sources said.

“I can’t believe it,” said Johnny Dawkins, head coach for Stanford University‘s basketball team and Emma’s teammate at Duke.

“He was a great guy,” Dawkins said. “I have nothing but respect for him as a competitor. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.”

Billy Bitter, 22, came to the NYAC after hearing of Emma’s plunge.

“He was my trainer,” Bitter said. “He was a great man. He was awesome.”

Relatives told police that Emma had been depressed, sources said.

“Everyone is shocked,” a relative said over the phone before declining further comment.

Emma was team captain for the Blue Devils in 1983, his fourth season with the school. He was drafted by the Bulls the same year, but never played for the team.

The hoops player – a high school star in his native Manhasset, L.I. – penned a book titled “Basketball Player’s Comprehensive Guide to Strength Training.”

He was president of Power Performance, Inc., a company devoted to training young athletes.

________________________________

This has been one of the saddest stories that I have posted. Maybe there are some people who are depressed reading this post. I have something below that you may find helpful:

CBN TEACHING SHEETS

What the Bible Says About Suicide

By CBN.com

CBN.com – Suicide. The word has a frightening air of finality. Laden with hopelessness, despair, and tragedy, it is a word that everyone wants to keep at arms’ length. “Only people who are really mixed up consider suicide,” you’ve told yourself.

But then one day that word entered your thoughts in a different way. You found yourself in an unbearable situation. You felt trapped and powerless. Ultimately, “ending it all” seemed to be the only answer. It isn’t.

There is another solution. It’s found in the Bible, God’s messageof love to you. This is your chance to discover just how valuable you are and how your life can be transformed. Read on.

Where Are You Now?

Probably you’ve asked yourself, “How did I get to this point?” The answer is … gradually. Everyone goes through periods in their lives when they feel down. Usually, in time, the sadness leaves and life goes on. But sometimes a difficult situation, a strained relationship or some other problem leads to unhappiness that won’t go away.

When that happens, life can become a daily struggle with uneasiness, gloom, and emptiness. Ultimately, depression and hopelessness can take hold, creating a feeling of dissatisfaction with life in general.

Depression has many causes. Often it is associated with a sense of loss that can be caused by a number of things — illness, the death of a loved one, sudden unemployment, divorce, and so on. A chronic illness, or permanent disability, can rob you of your independence, making you feel worthless, helpless, and angry. Losing someone you care about, through death or divorce, can leave a tremendous void in your life.

Guilt is another trigger for depression. Perhaps you’re struggling with drug or alcohol abuse — or some other habit, or behavior,that you are ashamed of. A childhood trauma may have left you feeling damaged and unworthy of happiness. Maybe you just feel like a failure because you haven’t achieved all that you wanted in life.

Whatever the cause, depression often leads to a sense of hopelessness. You may feel as though your life is out of control. You may think that ending your life is the only way to take control. It’s not.

Where Can You Go From Here?

You can keep going the way you have been, knowing where that may lead. Or you can give yourself a real chance for a better life. The fact that you’re reading this shows that you want another option. So, here it is.

There is only one real source of hope for a life that possesses meaning, fulfillment, and joy. That source is Jesus Christ. Speaking about His followers, Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you can experience overflowing love, forgiveness, peace, and joy in your life. That is a promise from God found in the Bible.

Does God promise that you’ll never have another problem? No. But He does pledge to give you the power to face life’s trials with confidence, knowing that He will cause all things to work for your good. He promises either to deliver you from afflictions,or give you the strength to endure them, according to His plan for you … a plan that begins with giving your life to Him.

By accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior and choosing to follow Him you place Jesus on the throne of your life. Spiritually, you become a new person because God’s Holy Spirit comes to live within you. Jesus described this experience as being “born again.” And, best of all, with your new life in Christ comes the right to spend eternity in God’s presence. Why not get a Bible right now and read these wonderful promises for yourself?

Look up these Scripture verses: John 1:12; II Corinthians 5:17;I Corinthians 2:12; I John 5:11-13.

If you have never made a decision to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you can do that right now and take the first step toward a new life. Simply pray this prayer and mean it in your heart:

Lord Jesus, I ask you to come into my life. I want to turn from living my life under my own control. Come now and live your life in me. Cleanse me from my sins. I receive you as my Lord and my Savior. I will live for you and serve you all the days of my life. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, please send us an e-mail to let us know. Or you can call The 700 Club Prayer Counseling Centerat (800) 759-0700. We would love to talk with you and send you some literature to help you begin your walk with the Lord.

Jesus said, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). If you just prayed and asked Him to come into your life, He did. And He promises to share intimate friendship with you.

Now you need to do a few things.

First, begin reading the Bible on a daily basis. Start with the Gospel of John in the New Testament. Find an easy to read, modern translation like the New International Version, the New American Standard or The Book (The New Living Translation).

Next, try to spend time in prayer every day. Just talk to God like you would a good friend.

Finally, it’s important that you find a church that believes and teaches the Bible. This is critical to your development as a Christian. Learn more by reading our teaching sheet on finding a church, and find a local church in your area through the church finder tool. For more information about your new relationship with God, please feel free to call The 700Clubat 1-800-759-0700.

Remember this: God doesn’t require you to be perfect. Rather, He desires your heartfelt devotion and willingness to live accordingto His Word, the Bible.

What if You’re Already a Christian?

Christians can feel depressed and have suicidal thoughts too. It can happen for all of the same reasons mentioned above. The trials of life touch everyone, including believers.

If the situation you are in is something you can’t change, know that God can intervene miraculously. As hard as it may be to do, continue praying for God’s help. Don’t stop.

God does hear our prayers, but His plan and ours aren’t always the same. Trust Him to respond in a way that will be to your best interest. That includes the possibility that He will give you strength and peace to endure your trial rather than deliver you from it. Some of God’s greatest answers to prayer come in the form of peace and joy in the midst of great hardship. Believe that He will see you through every storm in your life.

Read these Scripture verses and make them your own declarations of faith: Psalm 23; Psalm 28:7; Isaiah 43:2; Romans 8:28; Philippians 4:13.

Ask your Heavenly Father to help you live in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is full of His promises to love, strengthen, heal, and guide. Begin reading God’s Word with a new purpose — to discover new insights about God’s love for you. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your journey and to reveal truths you’ve never seen before. Accept the fact of God’s love for you without relyingon your feelings.

Read these Scripture verses and receive them as God’s message to you: John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Isaiah 40:31; Isaiah 41:10; Lamentations 3:22-23.

Also, be prepared to acknowledge any sin that might be interfering in your relationship with your Heavenly Father. Ask God to search your heart and pinpoint any problems. Then, confess and repent of your disobedience and receive God’s forgiveness.

Read these Scripture verses for more understanding about dealing with sin: I John 1:9; Psalm 139:23-24; Galatians 5:16-25.

Do Something to Help Yourself

Professional help in the form of a qualified Christian counselor is one of the best ways to fight depression and thoughts of suicide. Look in the phone book and make some calls. Ask for references. A good counselor can help you get a new perspective on your problems. Get a medical check-up. Sometimes depression can be caused bya chemical imbalance or other biological factor.

Seek out a support group (starting with your church) that ministers to the area of difficulty in your life. Interacting with others who are facing similar challenges in their lives will help you feel less isolated.

Force yourself to do something the next time you feel down. Inactivity only makes depression worse. Here are some things to try:

  • Talk to someone. Call a friend and share your feelings.
  • Take a walk. Exercise causes your blood and oxygen to circulate faster, which makes you feel invigorated. Your brain produces chemicals called endorphins that fight depression.
  • Do something to help someone else. As you focus your attentionon another’s needs, your own cares will become less burdensome.
  • Listen to music. Choose your favorite songs and sing along.

If you need ongoing support, we encourage you to contact the pastor of your local church. With the guidance of your pastor, you might also consider seeking professional Christian counseling. Here are some national ministries that we can recommend:

The Association of Christians in Private Practice
1-866-611-HELP

New Life Ministries
1-800-NEW-LIFE

Rapha National Network
1-800-383-HOPE

Emerge Ministries
1-800-621-5207

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events | Comments (0)

Palin was right about Paul Revere and Brummett and NPR can’t believe it

June 8, 2011 – 10:56 am

Gov. Sarah Palin’s June 5, 2011 Chris Wallace interview pt 2 of 2 (Paul Revere story discussed)

 

John Brummett is his article, “The Midnight ride of Mike Huckabee,” Arkansas News Bureau, June 7, 2011, he asserts:

On an American history bus tour through New England that looked like a campaign forerunner, Palin fielded a dreaded impromptu question about Paul Revere.

She ended up saying via typically tortured syntax that Revere had ridden through town ringing bells to inform the British occupiers that they should not dare try to confiscate arms from the American colonists….

He had made arrangements for others to hang lanterns briefly in the Old North Church as messages denoting British troop movement — one if by land, two if by sea. But, alas, lanterns don’t ring.

Earlier I took apart Brummett’s argument and showed how Palin was right and Brummett was wrong. Likewise look at the astonishment of the liberal NPR reporter that can not believe that Palin got it right.  (Dave Elswick’s facebook page tipped me off about this NPR story)

Sarah Palin caused a colonial-era commotion last week with comments she made in Boston about Paul Revere’s famous ride. Melissa Block speaks with Robert Allison, a professor and historian at Suffolk University, about Palin’s comments to see just how historically accurate they were.

Copyright © 2011 National Public Radio®. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.

MELISSA BLOCK, host:

Sarah Palin is defending her knowledge of American history. Last week, after Palin visited Old North Church and Paul Revere’s house in Boston, a reporter asked her what she had seen and what she’d take away from her visit.

Ms. SARAH PALIN (Former Governor, Alaska): We saw where Paul Revere hung out as a teenager, which was something new to learn. And, you know, he who warned the British that they weren’t going to be taking away our arms by ringing those bells and making sure, as he is riding his horse through town, to send those warning shots and bells, that we were going to be secure and we were going to be free.

BLOCK: Well, after that generated howls of derision for historical inaccuracy, Palin amplified on “Fox News Sunday.” Here’s part of what she said.

(Soundbite of TV show, “Fox News Sunday”)

Ms. PALIN: Part of Paul Revere’s ride – and it wasn’t just one ride – he was a courier, he was a messenger. Part of his ride was to warn the British that we’re already there, that, hey, you’re not going to succeed. You’re not going to take American arms. You are not going to beat our own well-armed persons, individual, private militia that we have. He did warn the British.

BLOCK: We are going to fact-check Palin’s Paul Revere history now with Robert Allison. He’s chair of the history department at Suffolk University in Boston.

Professor Allison, welcome to the program.

Professor ROBERT ALLISON (Chairman, History Department, Suffolk University): Thanks, Melissa.

BLOCK: And let’s review Paul Revere’s midnight ride, April 18, 1775. He’s going to Lexington, Massachusetts. And according to Sarah Palin, he’s riding his horse through town sending warning shots and ringing those bells. True?

Prof. ALLISON: Well, he’s not firing warning shots. He is telling people so that they can ring bells to alert others. What he’s doing is going from house to house, knocking on doors of members of the Committees of Safety saying the regulars are out. That is, he knew that General Gage was sending troops out to Lexington and Concord, really Concord, to seize the weapons being stockpiled there, but also perhaps to arrest John Hancock and Samuel Adams, leaders of the Continental Congress, who were staying in the town of Lexington.

Remember, Gage was planning – this is a secret operation, that’s why he’s moving at night. He gets over to Cambridge, the troops start marching from Cambridge, and church bells are ringing throughout the countryside.

BLOCK: So Paul Revere was ringing those bells? He was a silversmith, right?

Prof. ALLISON: Well, he was – he also was a bell ringer. That is, he rang the bells at Old North Church as a boy. But he personally is not getting off his horse and going to ring bells. He’s telling other people – and this is their system before Facebook, before Twitter, before NPR, this was the way you get a message out is by having people ring church bells and everyone knows there is an emergency.

And by this time, of course, the various town Committees of Safety, militia knew what the signals were, so they knew something was afoot. So this is no longer a secret operation for the British.

Revere isn’t trying to alert the British, but he is trying to warn them. And in April of 1775, no one was talking about independence. We’re still part of the British Empire. We’re trying to save it. So this is a warning to the British Empire what will happen if you provoke Americans.

BLOCK: And Sarah Palin also was saying there that Paul Revere’s message to the British in his warning was: you’re not going to take American arms. You know, basically a Second Amendment argument, even though the Second Amendment didn’t exist then.

Prof. ALLISON: Yeah. She was making a Second Amendment case. But, in fact, the British were going out to Concord to seize colonists’ arms, the weapons that the Massachusetts Provincial Congress was stockpiling there.

So, yeah, she is right in that. I mean, and she may be pushing it too far to say this is a Second Amendment case. Of course, neither the Second Amendment nor the Constitution was in anyone’s mind at the time. But the British objective was to get the arms that were stockpiled in Concord.

BLOCK: So you think basically, on the whole, Sarah Palin got her history right.

Prof. ALLISON: Well, yeah, she did. And remember, she is a politician. She’s not an historian. And God help us when historians start acting like politicians, and I suppose when politicians start writing history.

BLOCK: Are there other historians, Professor, whom you’ve talked with who say you’re being entirely too charitable towards Sarah Palin here, and she really did misread American…

Prof. ALLISON: I haven’t talked to many – well, I don’t know. I mean, I haven’t talked to too many historians today. And, you know, Sarah Palin is a lightning rod. I just was thinking about how many times, you know, I’ve spoken about Paul Revere. I’ve organized events about the American Revolution. No one ever pays any attention. Suddenly, Sarah Palin comes to town, makes an off-the-cuff remark about what she learned, and suddenly, you’re calling me to find out what I think about Paul Revere and the American Revolution.

It’s a great honor to talk to you, Melissa.

(Soundbite of laughter)

Prof. ALLISON: I wish it didn’t take Sarah Palin coming to town to bring us together.

BLOCK: Well, we’ll have to do this again sometime.

Prof. ALLISON: I hope so.

BLOCK: Professor Allison, thanks so much.

Prof. ALLISON: Thanks. Take care.

BLOCK: Professor Robert Allison is chair of the history department at Suffolk University in Boston.

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events, Founding Fathers | Comments (0)

Who was Milton Friedman and what did he say about Social Security Reform? (Part 5)

June 8, 2011 – 9:29 am
Milton Friedman congratulated by President Ronald Reagan. © 2008 Free To Choose Media, courtesy of the Power of Choice press kit

Most of the energy of political work is devoted to correcting the effects of mismanagement of government.
Milton Friedman

Milton Friedman

Milton Friedman

Ep. 4 – From Cradle to Grave [6/7]. Milton Friedman’s Free to Choose (1980)  

In this series I want to both look  closely at who Milton Friedman was and what his views were about Social Security reform. Here is the third portion of an autobiography from Nobelprize.org:

In 1945, I joined George Stigler at the University of Minnesota, from which he had been on leave. After one year there, I accepted an offer from the University of Chicago to teach economic theory, a position opened up by Jacob Viner’s departure for Princeton. Chicago has been my intellectual home ever since. At about the same time, Arthur Burns, then director of research at the National Bureau, persuaded me to rejoin the Bureau’s staff and take responsibility for their study of the role of money in the business cycle.

The combination of Chicago and the Bureau has been highly productive. At Chicago, I established a “Workshop in Money and Banking”. which has enabled our monetary studies to be a cumulative body of work to which many have contributed, rather than a one-man project. I have been fortunate in its participants, who include, I am proud to say, a large fraction of all the leading contributors to the revival in monetary studies that has been such a striking development in our science in the past two decades. At the Bureau, I was supported by Anna J. Schwartz, who brought an economic historian’s skill, and an incredible capacity for painstaking attention to detail, to supplement my theoretical propensities. Our work on monetary history and statistics has been enriched and supplemented by both the empirical studies and the theoretical developments that have grown out of the Chicago Workshop.

In the fall of 1950, I spent a quarter in Paris as a consultant to the U.S. governmental agency administering the Marshall Plan. My major assignment was to study the Schuman Plan, the precursor of the common market. This was the origin of my interest in floating exchange rates, since I concluded that a common market would inevitably founder without floating exchange rates. My essay, The Case for Flexible Exchange Rates, was one product.

During the academic year 1953-54, I was a Fulbright Visiting Professor at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge University. Because my liberal policy views were “extreme” by any Cambridge standards, I was acceptable to, and able greatly to profit from, both groups into which Cambridge economics was tragically and very deeply divided: D.H. Robertson and the “anti-Keynesians”; Joan Robinson, Richard Kahn and the Keynesian majority.

Beginning in the early 1960s, I was increasingly drawn into the public arena, serving in 1964 as an economic adviser to Senator Goldwater in his unsuccessful quest for the presidency, and, in 1968, as one of a committee of economic advisers during Richard Nixon’s successful quest. In 1966, I began to write a triweekly column on current affairs for Newsweek magazine, alternating with Paul Samuelson and Henry Wallich. However, these public activities have remained a minor avocation – I have consistently refused offers of full-time positions in Washington. My primary interest continues to be my scientific work.

In 1977, I retire from active teaching at the University of Chicago, though retaining a link with the Department and its research activities. Thereafter, I shall continue to spend spring and summer months at our second home in Vermont, where I have ready access to the library at Dartmouth College – and autumn and winter months as a Senior Research Fellow at the Hoover lnstitution of Stanford University.

From Nobel Lectures, Economics 1969-1980, Editor Assar Lindbeck, World Scientific Publishing Co., Singapore, 1992

This autobiography/biography was written at the time of the award and first published in the book series Les Prix Nobel. It was later edited and republished in Nobel Lectures. To cite this document, always state the source as shown above.

Copyright © The Nobel Foundation 1976

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Ep. 4 – From Cradle to Grave [7/7]. Milton Friedman’s Free to Choose (1980)

In 1978 Milton Friedman was asked a question about Social Security.

Question: Dr. Friedman, you have been quoted as saying the Social Security tax is the worst tax on the books and should be abolished. What would you use as a substitute?

Dr. Friedman: First, you must understand that the Social Security system is not an insurance system. The taxes that people are paying under the system are not in any relevant sense financing the benefits they themselves will ultimately receive. The Social Security system is a combination of a bad tax and a bad expenditure program. I have never heard anybody who would defend either half separately, and taking two bad things and putting them together doesn’t generally make something good. But combining the two, and giving the impression that the system is self-financing, tends to support the fiction that Social Security is really an insurance contract. It’s not an insurance system at all. What it is a scheme whereby people today are paying taxes today to provide payments and benefits to other people today. There is a relationship between the amount beneficiaries receive and the amount they themselves pay, but that relationship is very small. Insofar as there is that relationship, you can justify an element of payroll tax; but insofar as a large part of Social Security benefits are properly to be understood as subsidies, welfare payments, there is no justification for financing them out of a payroll tax. In my opinion, if you are going to finance them, they should come out of federal revenues.

Now you will say to me, “Oh, but that’s “terrible. Does that mean that you’re proposing that we increase other taxes?” No! Let me go back to the fundamental principle: Government is going to spend whatever the tax system will raise plus a little more – lately a good deal more. The only effective way to keep down government spending is 10 keep down the amount of money available to government to spend. There is no other way you can do it. The effect of giving the impression that Society Security is an insurance system by using the payroll tax, and implying that what each individual pays is linked to what he receives – the effect of that has been to make the American people willing to bear a larger tax loan than they otherwise would bear. I argue the other way: Reduce taxes whenever you can! What you should worry about is total spending. If you reduce the payroll tax and throw the burden on the general tax level, that will be an effective way of stopping even worse programs.

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Milton Friedman, Social Security | Comments (0)

Best Video of Tornado June 6, 2011 Billings, MT

June 8, 2011 – 9:26 am

Tornado Billings Montana June 6, 2011

Uploaded by on Jun 7, 2011

Outside of town, Close Call

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6/6/2011 Billings, MT Tornado Storm

Uploaded by on Jun 7, 2011

I took this outside of my workplace, when the tornado was app. 11 miles North. Good shots around the 00:23 mark

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Tornadoes confirmed in SE Montana

Posted: Jun 7, 2011 11:51 AM by Amanda Venegas (KTVQ Billings)

     
 

Massive storms blanketed many areas of the state last night, and southeastern Montana was hit especially hard.

The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma confirmed two tornadoes north of Laurel around 9 p.m. No injuries and no significant damage have been reported at this time.

Monday evening, a powerful and mesmerizing storm captured the attention of many Montanans, including local storm chaser John Ojeda.

“These cumulus clouds just bubble up and holy cow, we’re right in it” said Ojeda.

Ojeda was right in the middle of the action, shooting video in Molt as the storm moved past Laurel.
Then, Ojeda said, the storm became a sight many could not take their eyes off of.

“I see another storm building up and then suddenly they converge and they just turn and they produce this incredible and the only way I can describe it is a mothership effect” Ojeda said.

Ojeda said once he saw an updraft in the cloud formation, he knew the threat of tornadoes was real.
The wall cloud was so massive it covered the sky in an eerie fashion.

KTVQ photographer Jesse Kester got a look of the storm’s edge from Acton, off Highway 3 west of Billings, where reports surfaced of funnel activity or a possible tornado.

Later in the evening as the sun set, the wind and rain pummeled the Molt area, as the storm moved through.

He says the strength of the storm picked up a grain bin and threw it onto a building.

As night set in, the storm continued to take shape as lightning made the sights even more dramatic.

The National Weather Service is expected to survey the damage today.

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Other tornado related posts:

Pictures of aftermath of Springfield, Mass Tornado

Springfield MA tornado aftermath A smashed car sits next to the South End Community Center, which lost most of its roof in a tornado that touched down in Springfield, Mass., Wednesday, June 1, 2011. (/AP Courtesy Marque Tortoriello An apparent tornado has caused damage in Springfield, Mass. Twister: This photo, taken through a window, shows […]

Best videos of Springfield, Mass Tornado

Springfield, Mass. Tornado – Multiple Views – June 1, 2011 (lots of cursing) ___________________________________ Raw Video: Tornado Strikes Springfield, Mass. An apparent tornado struck the downtown of one of Massachusetts’ largest cities Wednesday afternoon, scattering debris, toppling trees, and frightening workers and residents. _________________________________ Tornado touches down Springfield, MA _____________________________________  

Rare Tornado hit Springfield, Mass

  Steeple of First Church of Monson lays The steeple of The First Church of Monson lays in rubble on the ground after a tornado swept through the downtown area of Monson, Mass., Wednesday, June 1, 2011.… Read more » The Associated Press reported this morning: SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Rev. Bob Marrone was pained […]

All posts dealing with Joplin Tornado

Best Storm Chaser videos of Joplin Tornado May 22, 2011

Destructive Joplin Missouri Torando On May 22, 2011 a destructive and sadly a deadly tornado tore through the town of Joplin, MO. Here is video of the tornado entering the southwest side of town. Filmed by TornadoVideos.net Basehunters Colt Forney, Isaac Pato, Kevin Rolfs, and Scott Peake. Good Morning America: Joplin, Missouri Tornado Video: Storm […]

Pictures of Tornado damage in Joplin, MO May 22, 2011

  Destroyed helicopter lies on its side A destroyed helicopter lies on its side in the parking lot of the Joplin Regional Medical Center in Joplin, Mo., Sunday, May 22, 2011. A large tornadomoved through much of the city, damaging the hospital and hundreds of homes and businesses Emergency personnel walk Emergency personnel walk through […]

Video clips of tornado in Joplin,MO May 22, 2011(includes footage from the air, and storm chaser video)

 The last video listed does not have very good pictures but you hear when the tornado hits a building where people inside are filming. The sounds are just horrible and a cold feeling went through my body just listening to it. Joplin, Missouri tornado damage from the air Tornado damage of Joplin, Missouri. Aerial coverage […]

At least 89 dead, but still counting in Joplin, MO

    Volunteer firefighters William Jackson Volunteer firefighters William Jackson, left, and Ashley Martin, center, from Oklahoma, and Johnny Ward of Joplin look through the wreckage of a home whereit was feared a pregnant woman as feared to be trapped following a tornado in Joplin, Mo., Sunday, May 22, 2011. A large tornado moved through […]

 

Fox News reported today:   Rescue crews dug through piles of splintered houses and crushed cars Monday in a search for victims of a half-mile-wide tornado that blasted much of this Missouri town off the map and slammed straight into its hospital. At least 116 people died, making it the nation’s deadliest single tornado in nearly […]

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events | Comments (0)

Kate Middleton and Prince William: Marriage made in Heaven? (Part 50)

June 8, 2011 – 9:06 am
The Royal Wedding in Photos
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge leave Clarence House for Buckingham Palace on April 29, 2011 in London, England. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
 
I watched the royal wedding with great interest, and I really do wish Kate and William success in their marriage. I hope they truly are committed to each other, and if they are then the result will be a marriage that lasts their whole lifetime. Nevertheless, I do not think it is best to live together before marriage like they did, and I writing this series to help couples see how best to prepare for marriage.
 
Cohabitation is just like marriage, but without “the piece of paper.” Cohabitation typically doesn’t bring the benefits (in physical health, wealth, and emotional well being) that marriage does. In terms of these benefits cohabitants in the United States more closely resemble singles than married couples. This is due, in part, to the fact that cohabitants tend not to be as committed as married couples, and they’re more oriented toward their own personal autonomy and less to the well being of their partner. (From: Smartmarriages® Subject: TOP 10 MYTHS OF MARRIAGE- Popenoe/Piece of Paper schedule – 2/13/02)

• Living together without the benefit of marriage can be harmful for the children since the relationship is not a committed one and therefore lacks stability and is more prone to break-up. For the children of such unions when the couple breaks up there may as well be a divorce. The lack of official papers does nothing to make a split easier on the kids. (Rabbi Shea Hecht, Pondering the Divorce Rate, Gopusa.com, 5/17/07)

Weekend To Remember Conference Testimony

Here’s a couple who went to a FamilyLife Conference and how it made a difference in their marriage

 
By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events | Comments (0)