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Am I ...?

Am I a geek?
-I wear a bluetooth headset and my cell phone has a 400mhz processor.
Am I a good father and husband?
-I have only seen my sons and wife 2 hours in the last 2 days.
Am I against a woman's right to choose?
-I believe that abortion in most cases is murder.
Am I a fisherman?
-The biggest fish I have ever reeled in was not hooked on my pole.
Am I smart?
-I have never taken a college level course outside high school.
Am I poor?
-I do not own a home.
Am I rich?
-I have never been hungry.
Am I going to heaven?
-I believe that the Lord gave his son to pay for my sins on the cross.
Am I articulate?
-I sometimes stutter when I get excited.
Am I stubborn?
-My wife thinks so.
Am I friendly?
-Most people annoy me the first time we meet.
Am I kind?
-I sometimes turn on an internal switch which allows me to ignore the world.
Am I humble?
-I feel better than some people at times.
Am I fair?
-Long ago I stopped judging people by looking at them.
Am I a honest?
-I have lied in the past.
Am I lucky?
-I have never won the lottery.
Am I making a difference?
-It's hard to say, I hope so.
Am I dependable?
-I have let people down.
Am I strong?
-I can't bench press 350 lbs.
Am I athletic?
-I can't honestly say that at a pitch from the mound would successfully reach the catcher.
Am I proud?
-I am a husband, a father, a son, an American citizen and a United States Marine, of course I am.

What are you?

Bill Gets Denied

For all those that have not seen this...



Bill Clinton Gets Denied A Kiss - Watch more free videos

Mental Explosion

As I downloaded Senator Obama's "Blueprint for Change", I remind myself to be open-minded and free from preconceptions. I had read parts of it before but saw the same evading attempts to answer questions to his position as I saw in the movie Dodge Ball. So with renewed patience and dedication to the pursuit of Senator Obama’s “open, candid, and clear” plan/stance I embarked on my journey.

As a Marine I find myself taking this “mission” to understand the enemy very seriously. I am not implying that Senator Obama is an enemy. I feel that his ideologies are the enemy to our great nation. The belief that America is not great NOW is the enemy. The idea that the USA is so bad that it needs to be changed, rather than maintained and improved is the enemy. The suggestion that HOPE is needed to get through the dreary American life is the enemy. The shameful association with ones country is the enemy.

After peeling back the blue cover page and table of contents I see a message from Sen. Obama to me. One sentence really hits a nerve with me. Sen. Obama states his reason for running for President,

"The dream that so many generations fought for feels as if it’s slowly slipping away… I run to offer this country change that we can believe in."

What dream is slipping away? Why is that dream slipping away? Is it because of President Bush? Is it because of Iraq? Is it because of Congress? Is it because of the American people? Is it because of the global economy? Is it because of our environment? Is it because of the media?

Sen. Obama feels, “This is the defining moment in our history.” Don’t get me wrong, the times to come are important but defining? I guess to Sen. Obama this election will be more defining and important in our history than the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, the Civil War, women’s suffrage, the defeat of the Central Powers in World War I, the defeat of the Axis military alliance in World War II, the civil rights movement, etc.

I will continue to go through this blueprint and try to piece together the puzzle that as Sen. Obama’s asserts is, “…where I stand on the fundamental issues facing our country.”

I encourage any and all thoughts, concerns, complaints and suggestions.

Please stay tuned for future posts as I wade through these murky waters…

Mark43 Out!!!

The Pit Bull who wears lipstick

At the expense of being the last person to write my review/opinion on Gov. Palin's speech, I decided to wait till this morning. As I was only able to watch pieces of her speech last night my initial thought was that she was going to play it safe. I was gladly mistaken when I watched the whole speech via You Tube. I was immediately hit with her confidence, a confidence that can only come from a person who has been tried and tested. I witnessed a woman who was humble but also very proud of her family, state, running mate and country. She struck me as a leader who can rise above the immature bickering that has plagued our political structure and get to the real reason she was there, to serve and defend America.

I have enough confidence in Senator McCain to know that he would not pick a running mate based on who he thinks would win him the election. Senator McCain is not the type of leader who is willing to change who he is or what he believes to win. He wins by sticking to his beliefs and convictions and trusting his instincts and his gathered wisdom. Not only does it disrespect Gov. Palin, but all women to think that Senator McCain picked her because of her gender.
The answer to all the questions to why Senator McCain choose Gov. Palin was obvious last night. She has experience on an executive level, while this is not a prerequisite it is noteworthy. She is knowledgeable on our fight for energy independence and the methods for achieving this. Gov. Palin is the commander in chief of a military organization. She comes from a small town that is very similar to most American towns. She has, by all accounts, an average American family who supports and loves her. Gov. Palin is not part of the "machine" and is not subject to the rules and regulations of the "good-old boys". She is not looking for the approval of the beltway, rather, the chance to serve Americans.

Gov. Palin did take shots at Senator Obama, not for the sake of attacking him but to highlight the difference in principles and beliefs. I personally believe that she was very effective in her criticisms of her opponent. Gov Palin said, "But listening to him speak, it’s easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or even a reform, not even in the State Senate.
This is a man who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting and never use the word “victory,” except when he’s talking about his own campaign." She asked, "...what exactly is our opponent’s plan?" Then she described the answer, "The answer — the answer is to make government bigger, and take more of your money, and give you more orders from Washington, and to reduce the strength of America in a dangerous world."
She continues to question Senator Obama's position on energy, victory in Iraq, terrorists, building a bigger government and raising taxes. Some will state that she was sarcastic, but as Matthew wrote in chapter 11, " He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
I heard and I believe America heard.

Did you hear?

Good read

I came across an opinion piece posted on The Wall Street Journal written by Martin Feldstein and John B. Taylor.
"In stark contrast to Barack Obama, Mr. McCain believes that tax policy should be used to foster the creation of jobs and higher wages through economic growth, rather than to redistribute incomes."
Read the whole article here.

Why is this a big deal?

If Gov. Palin's daughter had decided to get a abortion, would the press leave this story alone? Would all liberal readers respect her decision?
If they (the liberals) would respect her decision to have an abortion, then why do they not show respect for her decision to have the baby?
If Senator Obama had a 17-year-old daughter who became pregnant out of wedlock and the conservative side attacked this way, would America condone that behavior?

This story is not about Gov. Palin's daughter or the baby. It is not about the vetting process. It is not about Senator McCain's judgment. This is just another tactic used by sick individuals trying to hurt Senator McCain and Gov. Palin. I do not understand how this hurts their campaign. Maybe I am stupid, but I do not see how the pregnancy of Gov. Palin's daughter is relevant in the election process. It does, however, show me that the left is afraid of the McCain-Palin ticket. What does this story highlight? Does it highlight the fact that Senator McCain picked a running mate who has a family that, like all families, has made mistakes? To me it shows that a traditional family is the foundation of America. Children will always make mistakes, we all know this. I fear for the child that makes a similar mistake but has no support.
If we can stop the deterioration of the family and the destruction of the support it brings then I believe a lot of the problems we see in America will decrease. I know that people will say that I am oversimplifying the problem but in my experience the simplest solutions are the most effective and efficient.

As I step off my soapbox I would like to offer this last question:
Do you want a President who will protect America, respect life at all ages, respect your individual rights, nurture personal development, demand personal responsibility, make tough decisions and KEEP America great?
or
Do you want a President who will minimize our military and negotiate with terrorists, allow the murder of innocent infants, take away your guns, nurture instant gratification, demand successful people to pay for the lazy, check the polls for decisions and CHANGE America?