A Political Perusal

Hello everyone!

I have decided to begin a new line of posts here at the Blogging Boy Scout called "A Political Perusal". This posts will contain a question of interest to me, which I will ask any readers to answer with a post or comment. If you answer with a blogpost, I will give you a link on a summary post and hopefully send your blog some new readers. Here is the question I would like you to answer.

The War in Iraq - Right or Wrong?

So please send in your answers! Some bloggers who I would love to see tackle this topic are:

Agent Tim

D3's Blog

Mission3:6teen

SecDef

SmartHomeschool

The Account

The Rebelution

But, anyone is allowed to participate, although I do reserve the right to edit or reject articles. This does not mean I will kick an article just because it is anti-war, it just means I retain sole editing power if some odd incident should bestir itself.

Please write away! Please post a comment and tell me when you have it done. The deadline for entry's is Wednesday.

Update: After some council with my good friend Agent Tim, I have extended the deadline for articles to Wednesday to allow for more time to get out the word about the event and encourage new and old bloggers to join in.

News Roundup

First lady makes her reality TV debut

Senate confirms Roberts as chief justice
Comments: My mood right now? Cautious optimism. I would really like to know where Mr. Roberts stands on abortion issues. However, I am inclined to accept Mr. Roberts as an acceptable justice due to the great support given him by such people as Hugh Hewitt and the ACLJ. We have some very critical cases coming before the court soon which will better then anything else show Mr. Roberts views on a whole plethora of issues from the Pledge of Allegiance to intelligent design in school. At this point, only time will tell.

Who's next in line for a Supreme Court nomination?
Comments: One of the people listed here, is my personal pick for a Supreme Court seat, Edith Hollan Jones. A die-hard pro-life conservative, I believe Mrs. Jones would be a great voice for the Supreme Court.

That's all for now!
The Blogging Boy Scout,
Travis

Doing better!

Hey guys!

Just a quick update on my health, I am feeling better, but since the pollen levels are so high right now here in OK, when I when outside today my throat got sore again. BUT, a cool front is moving through and I am hoping that will settle all that stuff down.

In other news:

I got the book "Blog" from the library today! I am really looking forward to reading it and I hope to share my thoughts about it with you guys.
Also here are a news story I found to be of interest.

Intelligent design faces first big court test @ MSNBC

Darwin's theory is just that, a theory @ Virtue Blog

This case is centered on the question:
Can a specific scientific theory that covers all the facts about life on earth AND points out gaping holes in any other theory, be taught in public school because said theory happens to contain a Creator?

To ban this theory for schools in unthinkable, if the theory fits and explains the facts better then all others, it should be taught in school, regardless or the fact that in contains a Creator. That is just pure untarnished science.
My personal ability to debate this point needs work,(I tend to spend to much time on constitutional issues *grin*) however if you would like to do so, I would like to recommend a good friend of mine who specializes in discussions of this sort. His blog is Rejection of Mediocrity so if you would like a good debate on this topic, please give him a try. *grin*

That's all for now!
The Blogging Boy Scout,
Travis

Sick day

Hello all,

I would like to ask for all of you to remember me in your prayers the next few days. I am dealing with allergies and have had a bit of a sore throat more of the day. I am starting to get better but would be very grateful for your prayers.

That's all for now,
Travis

Randomish Thoughts

Good day all!

Today we went to our Grandmothers after church. That was great fun, I got to wash our suburban, a 3/4 ton pickup and a sudan all after dark. *grin* It was cool to be able to get them all shiny clean and watch them glitter in the moonlight.

I also had time to watch a bit of the History Channel, they were recreating a Egyptian mummy.

I think I shall plan some tennis games for our church in the near future as well as a LAN party perhaps. *grin*

Also I am currently reading a very interesting book on the Spanish Armada, called, cleverly enough "The Armada". It almost is a continuation of the G.A. Henty book, "Saint Bartholomew's Eve". It goes into more detail on what happens in France after that grave event.

On another note, Virtue Magazine is up.

That's all for now!
The Blogging Boy Scout,
Travis

School and Lawn Mowing

Hey guys!

Today has been a pretty normal day. School work, cattle feeding and a bit of lawn mowing filled the day. Also had a little time to watch the hurricane Rita coverage on MSNBC. It looks to be a bad storm but not near as bad as the traffic out of Houston right now. Cars are backed up as far as 100 miles in some places. Yikes!

Also had an update on John Roberts confirmation hearing. He passed the Senate Judiciary Committee 13-5 in favor (that includes Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn voting in favor) The ACLJ tells us to expect the Roberts confirmation to go to the full Senate tomorrow, with a vote by the middle of next week.

Also if you would like to keep "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, please add your name to the ACLJ petition here

There is also big new breaking over at The Account. I don't think I could have said it better then David so here it is!

"D3, author of In Rejection of Mediocrity, has teamed up with Ryan B, a fellow teen from Mississippi who found himself and his family disinherited by Hurricane Katrina. Not one to sit around (as D3 has always been, and apparently, Ryan B is the same...), the two put their heads together and started a blog called Gulf Coast Connection. According to the site, the purpose is to find "a way for teens displaced by Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita to connect with their friends." They do this by collecting a profile and email address of the said persons and posting them for their friends to find. Personally, I think this approach is visionary and hope that it goes well for Ryan and others like him. If you know someone affected by Katrina or Rita, please get them hooked up with GCC."

Man, what a cool idea! I may have to slip over there and get an interview in with one of those guys. *grin*

Well, that's all for now!
Travis

New Poll!

Hey guys! As I am covering the Pledge of Allegiance controversy, I have decided to ask you, my readers, what you have to say in this matter. Therefore my new poll question is:

"Should the phrase "Under God" remain in the Pledge of Allegiance?"

Please cast your vote and tell me.

Also, here are the results from my last poll question,
"Should audible prayer be allowed in school for Teachers or students?"


Yes (56)58%
Yes - See comment (5) 5%
No (32)33%
No - See comment (4) 4%

I am happy with these answers. Approximately 63% of my readers are sensible prayerful folk, as for the other 37% well, I am glad your reading. I hope I can show facts through this blog and on Virtue Magazine that you will consider and possibly change your mind on this issue.

That's all for now!
Travis

Update: I have reset the poll votes and rewritten the poll question due to the fact that the question on this post and the question in the poll differed. But it is all fixed now so please vote again!
Thanks,
The BBS

Oklahoma and its Tornados

This topic may not be that inclusive with my many readers from out of state, but some of these jokes are quite funny. (I predict that Jake will be rolling on the floor laughing). Without further ado, a Tornado Glossary(a forwarded email).

Travis
P.S. Look for the rest of my Pledge of Allegiance post later today.
Update: It is up!


For those of you who aren't familiar with tornadoes & are hearing news coverage of them, I put together a short glossary to help you understand....

Fujita Scale: Scale used to measure wind speeds of a tornado & their severity.

F1: Laughable little string of wind unless it comes through your house, then enough to make your insurance company drop you like a brick.Oklahomans enjoy standing on their porches to watch this kind.

F2: Strong enough to blow your car into your house, unless, of course, you drive an Expedition & live in a mobile home, then strong enough to blow your house into your car.

F3: Will pick your house & your Expedition up & move you to the other side of town.

F4: Usually ranging from 1/2 to a full mile wide, this tornado can turn an Expedition into a Pinto, then gift wrap it in a semi truck.

F5: The Mother of all Tornadoes, you might as well stand on your front porch & watch it, because it's probably going to be the a last sight before you die.

Meteorologist: A rather soft-spoken, mild-mannered type person until severe weather strikes, & they start yelling at you through the TV:"GET TO YOUR BATHROOM OR CLOSET OR YOU'RE GOING TO DIE!"

Storm Chaser: Meteorologist-rejects who are pretty much insane but get us really cool pictures of tornadoes. We release them from the mental institution every time it starts thundering, just to see what they'll do.

Tranquilizer: What you have to give any dog or cat who lived through any of the Oklahoma tornados because every time it storms, they tear your whole house up freaking out of their minds.

Moore, Oklahoma: A favorite gathering place for tornadoes. They like to meet here & do a little partying before stretching out across the rest of the Midwest.

Bathtub: Best place to seek shelter in the middle of a tornado, mostly because after you're covered with debris, you can quickly wash off & come out looking great for the local & national TV crews.

Severe Weather Radio: A handy device that sends out messages from the National Weather Service during a storm, though quite disconcerting because the high pitched, shrill noise just like an alarm, sounds suspiciously just like a tornado. Plus the guy reading the report just sounds a little too turned on by the tornado activity.

Tornado Siren: A system the city spent millions to install, which is really useful, unless there's a storm or a tornado, because then of course you can't hear them.

Storm Cellar: A great place to go during a tornado, as it's almost 100% safe, though weigh your options carefully, as most aren't cared for, & are homes to many rats and snakes.

April - July: Tourist season in Oklahoma, when people who are tired of bungee jumping & diving out of airplanes decide it might be fun to chase a tornado. These people usually end up on Fear Factor.

Barometric Pressure: Nobody really knows what this is, but when it drops a lot of pregnant women go into labor, which makes for exciting moments as their husbands are trying to drive them to the hospital & dodge tornadoes at the same time.

Cars: The worst place to be during a tornado (next to a mobile home). Yes, you can outrun a tornado in your car... unless everybody on the road decides to do the same thing, & then you're just in a traffic jam.

A Ditch: Supposedly where you're supposed to go if you find yourself without shelter or in your car during a tornado. Theoretically the tornado is supposed to pass right over you, but since it can lift a 20 ton truck & uproot a 300 yr old tree, I'd bet my life on outrunning it in a car.

Mobile Home: Most people are convinced mobile homes send off some strange signal that triggers tornadoes, because if the ere's 1 mobile home park in a 100 mile radius, the tornado will find it.

Earthquake: What any Californian would rather go through on any scale of severity than face a tornado. Tornado: What any Oklahoman would rather go through on any scale of severity than face an earthquake.

Twister: Slang for 'tornado' & also the title to a movie starring Helen Hunt, which incidentally everyone believes to be corny & unrealistic unless they live in Oklahoma, then they know the movie didn't do our tornados justice.

Power Flash: 1 of the most reliable ways to track a tornado at night, it's the term used when the tornado hits a powerline & a bright light flashes. It's also the emotion experienced by meteorologists when they get to make the call to interrupt prime-time must-see TV & $1,000,000 worth of advertising to track a storm for viewers.

----------------------------------

Here are some phrases you migh t want to learn & be familiar with if you're a new resident to Oklahoma:

"We'll have your electricity restored in 24 hrs," which means it'll be a week.

"We're going to be out for a week, so buy a lot of supplies & an expensive generator," means it's going to be on in 12 hrs, probably as soon as you return from Wal-Mart.

"It's a little muggy today." Get the heck outta town. It's getting ready to storm!

"There's just a slight chance of severe weather today, so go ahead & make your outdoor plans." Ha. Hahahaha...

When your electricity goes out, & you go to bed at night, be sure to turn off everything that was on before it went out, or when it's unexpectedly restored in the middle of the night, every light, every computer, your dishwasher, your blow dryer, your washing machine, your microwave & your fans will all come on, all at once.

1) You'll just about have a heart attack when they all come on at the same time, waking you from a dead sleep; &

2) Your breakers will blow, leaving you in the dark once again.

Agent Tim is on the Radio!

WOW! Agent Tim was on Albert Mohler's Radio Show! And Jake from Mission36Teen.com called in and was on the show! Have a look!

The Pledge of Allegiance - Unconstitutional?

I got this email today from the American Family Association:

A federal district court in San Francisco has ruled that reciting the Pledge of
Allegiance in public schools is unconstitutional.

U.S. District
Judge
Lawrence Karlton ruled that the pledge's reference to one nation
"under God"
violates school children's right to be "free from a coercive
requirement to
affirm God." Karlton said he was bound by 2002 precedent of
the Ninth U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals.

Your Senators could have
stopped this nonsense
last year but they failed to act. In 2004, the House
of Representatives passed a
bill that would have prohibited liberal judges
from ruling on issues involving
the pledge, but failed because the bill died
in U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.

S. 1046 The Pledge Protection Act of
2005 has been introduced in the
U.S. Senate. Let's not let this happen
again! S.1046 - The Pledge Protection Act
of 2005 - reads as follows:
'No court created by Act of Congress shall have
any jurisdiction, and
the Supreme Court shall have no appellate jurisdiction, to
hear or decide
any question pertaining to the interpretation of, or the validity
under the
Constitution of, the Pledge of Allegiance, as defined in section 4 of
title
4, or its recitation.'

By exercising the authority of Congress to
regulate the jurisdiction of federal courts, the Pledge Protection Act will
do
more than express an affirmation by Congress that the Pledge is
constitutional.
It will rein in a renegade judiciary that has confused the
freedom for religion
with freedom from religion. Email Your Senators Now! If
your Senator is already
a co-sponsor, be sure to thank him or her for
supporting this vital legislation.

If not, urge your Senator to sign on
as a sponsor S.1046 - The Pledge
Protection Act of 2005.

Click Here To Email Your Senators Now!

Interesting article is it not? Having a great interest in this topic, I took a bit of time to look into this issue.

1. An acclaimed atheist Michael Newdow is coming before the Supreme Court to attempt to take "under God" out of the pledge of Allegiance.

Note: Mr. Newdow doesn't even have custody of this daughter, his wife does and his wife wants her daughter to recite the pledge.

2. Mr. Newdow is under the false impression that his daughter hearing the pledge forces "God" on her. Please view this FAQ from one of Oklahoma's representatives, Congressman Istook.

Question:

So I'm a school student, and a fellow student wants to say a
prayer over
the intercom and I don't want to hear it. Or, I'm a parent and I
don't
want my children to hear it.
Are my children protected? Where do they
go? Do they have to leave the room? Don't they have the same rights as
those
saying the prayer in that room?

Answer:
The parent is making two incorrect
assumptions in this scenario. The first is an underlying assumption that
hearing
a prayer, or expression from one religion, is inherently harmful,
much less
unconstitutional. The second error is that the amendment
would somehow DICTATE prayer. This amendment does not mandate prayer. It
expressly prohibits such a mandate. But the Constitution never guaranteed to
protect us from hearing
something with which we disagree. Students (and
others) who engage in religious
expression should no longer be singled out
for censorship. Our religious rights
should not be lost when we set foot on
public property.
Everyone remains under the Equal Protection clause of the
Constitution. This amendment does not removed that, nor the ban on establishing
an official religion. We will always support and keep those protections.(emphasis mine)

3. Someone's morality will be inforced. I feel this cannot be stressed enough. I heard just the other day that Planned Parenthood or some such organisation was attenpting through a court case to force a Christian hospitel to conduct abortions. This is a prime example, someones morality will be inforced. If you are driving down the road at 100 miles per hour and the policeman stops you, he is inforcing his beliefs(rules made by the government) on you. If you take "under God" out of the Pledge of Allegence you are suppressing religion. I have heard argument after argument saying just make education nuetral, don't put anything in there controlversel, just state the facts. Well, I want to see public school curreculem state the facts about our founders and the greatest men of our nation. I want public schools to return Washingtons Farewell Address to the textbooks.(Where it once stood quite well, I might add) I would like schoolchildren to read this quote from that great speech:

"Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connexions with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."

I think if America's education was reformed we would laugh these crazy cases out of court. Even Justice Sandra Day O'Conner recconised this fact:'

''It is unsurprising that a nation founded by religious refugees and dedicated to religious freedom should find references to divinity in its symbols, songs, mottoes and oaths. Eradicating such references would sever ties to a history that sustains this Nation even today.''

Amen, Mrs. O'Conner. Amen.

ACLJ Update from Jay Sekulow

This is a report I got from the ACLJ about the Supreme Court comfirmation process, with video included. Have a look!
Travis

I have just sat through another day of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings for Judge John Roberts, Jr.
Because this is such a critical time for our nation, I wanted to give you a quick report on how the hearings are proceeding.

Please click here to view a video report made from outside the Senate Judiciary hearings just moments after today's session convened.

(BSB's Comments: Please watch this video. Mr. Sekulow talks about John Roberts position on Roe v. Wade and alerts us to the fact that any day President Bush will nominate the new replacment for Justice O'Conner.)

The entire video takes only about a minute to view, but it is important information you need to know as a member of the American Center for Law and Justice.
It is your support that has enabled us to fight this ongoing battle for the Supreme Court confirmation, prepare for critical cases heading to the high court this term, and continue all of our crucial work for your rights and freedoms across the country.

Our opposition in this ''race'' for the Supreme Court is strong! People For the American Way, NARAL: Pro-Choice America, and the National Organization for Women are well-funded competitors. This year, the ACLJ is battling these organizations and the multi-million-dollar abortion lobby on many fronts. Not only in this hearing and future ones (remember: there is another Supreme Court seat to fill), but also in several pro-life cases that the ACLJ has coming before the Supreme Court this next term.

PLUS, we have just learned that an activist federal judge in San Diego has ruled the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional in public schools. We will not allow this ruling to stand! We will fight it all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary.

End of Article

You guys know what? I think I would enjoy working for the ACLJ. :-)

That's all for now!

The Blogging Boy Scout,
Travis

Liberals Begin Attack On Judge Roberts

I got this from the American Family Association this morning. Have a look.

The U.S. Senate will soon be voting to confirm nominee for the Supreme Court nominee John Roberts. Now is the time to let your Senators hear from you in support of Judge Roberts' nomination. The liberals are doing all they can to get Judge Roberts' nomination defeated.

A look at what one liberal group stands for shows the philosophy of those who oppose Judge Roberts. They say that Judge Roberts is outside the mainstream of American values. They want to bypass the legislative branch of government and continue to use the judicial system to impose their agenda on every American.

Here is a list of what People for the American Way, which strongly opposes Judge Roberts, stands for.

People for the American Way opposes:

pornography filters on public library computers
regulation of hardcore internet pornography
restrictions on simulated child pornography
school choice
voluntary prayer in public places

People for the American Way supports:

deleting "under God from the Pledge of Allegiance
homosexual marriage
voting rights for felons
forcing Boy Scouts to permit openly gay scoutmasters
partial birth abortion
judicially imposed tax hikes
removing The Ten Commandments from public settings
(View my article on this issue here @ Virtue Magazine)
racial quotas in college admissions

If People for the American Way is using everything it has to defeat Judge Roberts, then surely Judge Roberts deserves our support. Please send your email now asking your Senators to vote to confirm Judge Roberts! Then forward this to others asking them to do the same. The vote is expected to be very close. It is vitally important that we secure as many letters of support as we can for Judge Roberts.

Click Here To Email Your Senators Now!

Comments: All the issues that People for the American Way are supporting are crazy! A person could not be a Christian and support such things. Look at these issues...homosexual marriage...partial birth abortion... forcing Boy Scouts to permit openly gay scoutmasters(!). They wish for no moral standards, that for one thing is clear. They DON'T want porn filters in librarys for crying out loud! What is that, restrictingsomeone'ss right to view sick, sick, pictures in front of school children? Do these people care about the effects on the kids who might happen to walk past the computers at the library? Nope. All they care about is easy porn access.
That tells you what kind of perverts they are doesn't it?
(End of rant)
To conclude, please support John Roberts confirmation as the Chief Justice of the United State's Supreme Court. While on that note, have a look at my pick for O'Conners seat, Edith Jones.

On a much happier note, the demo to Age of Empires III has been released! (Click on link to view AoE3 screenshots or download demo) Age of Empires II has been my favorite game for 6 years running and this new version looks to beat it all hallow. I am really looking forward to that.

That's all for now!
Travis

News of Interest

Here is a roundup of some news I found interesting.

Supreme Court News
Senate to start Roberts' hearings today
Click here to sign a petition in support of John Roberts.
ConfirmThem.com carries the story.
Who to replace O'Conner? What about Edith Jones?

U.S. Tennis Open
Federer wins 2nd straight U.S. Open title
Comments: WOW! I didn't get to watch that game. Andre Agassi vs. Roger Federer. That had to be an incredible game. Having played tennis in our homeschool tennis team for 3 years, watching the U.S. Open really makes me want to start playing again. One way I could play competitively again would be to join the USTA. (or United States Tennis Association)

General News of interest
Ford, Honda unveil latest hybrid autos
Comments: Maybe these will offer Americans some more fuel economic options. I personally think I might go for a traditional vehicle, just because I bet these are harder (and more expensive) to work on.

Virtue Magazine's newest issue is up!
See my final article on Christianity in Government by clicking here.
Click these links for parts one and two.

Generous Home Educators Reach Out to Home Schooling Hurricane Victims

Eagle Scout Pens a 'Moving' Defense of the Boy Scouts
Comments: A fellow Eagle Scout writes what looks to be a great defense of the Boy Scouts policy.
Calif. Governor Plans to Veto Homosexual 'Marriage' Bill; Traditionalists Pleased
Comments: Good deal.

4th Anniversary of 9/11

Yes, it has already been four years. And four years of kicking Taliban turbans. This administration has been defending our nation in the very best way, by keeping terrorists on the ran or fighting our highly skilled military and not civilians in New York or elsewhere.

See this site for any information you might want about 9/11(pictures, notes, etc.).
SpunkyJunior also posts on that topic.

That's all for now! It is getting hot and I have yet to feed the bovine yet this morning. *grin*

Please comment on any issue that strikes your fancy.

The Blogging Boy Scout,
Travis

Sekulow TV this weekend!

Hey guys, have a look at this...

1. ACLJ Television Special. On Saturday, September 10, at 5 p.m. (EST) on TBN, I will host a two-hour special concerning the ''race for the Supreme Court.'' Our guests will include former U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese, former Attorney General John Ashcroft, Senator Sam Brownback, Senator John Ensign, and others.

2. The Logan Show. Watch a clean alternative to late-night television! Hosted by my son, Logan Sekulow, The Logan Show is a family-friendly, wholesome version of The Late Show mixed with Saturday Night Live. The electricity of a live audience plus great music and hilarious comedy sketches make The Logan Show ''must-see TV''!

Join Logan, the cast, and special guest Building 429 for the season opener at the following show times this weekend:

Friday night at 10 p.m. (PST) on JC-TV,Saturday night at 11 p.m. (EST) on

FamilyNet,Saturday late night at 11:59 p.m. (EST) on iLife and INSP,Sunday at 1 a.m. (EST) and Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. on World Harvest Television.

Visit http://tracking.technomania.com/cgi-bin/track.cgi?11-2567-1481373-11290-http://www.theloganshow.com for further details.

I don't know what to think about "The Logan show", but "The Race for the Supreme Court" looks cool!

The Blogging Boy Scout,
Travis

I'M BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks so much Tim for posting my message about my absence from the internet! The problem that was plaguing our computer has now vanished. I thank you all so much for your prayers and praise the Lord for His goodness. Look for my thoughts on John Roberts, Edith Jones and the Supreme Court soon.

Praise the Lord y'all!

The Blogging Boy Scout,
Travis

*goes to catch up on last 2 days of everyone's blogging*

Internet Problems: Agent Tim Saves The Day

Hello readers of this fine blog! I, Agent Tim, have completed the hacking process on The Blogging Boy Scout's blog, and have finally entered and gained access codes making me capable of posting the words you read here.

Well...not quite.

Travis emailed me and asked me to let you guys now that he is fighting Internet problems on his computer (sounds familiar!) and cannot currently blog. (Even though he is bursting with news of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, and the U.S. Open.) So please join with me in earnest prayer for Travis and his computer, wishing the computer a speedy recovery and Travis a speedy return to the blogosphere.

Thanks,
Tim

Roberts Bush's pick for Chief Justice

For Full Story click here @ World Magazine

Bush has a chance to solidify the courts conservative wing

Also see: Timeline: The life and career of Chief Justice William Rehnquist

Also in college news:

Free to Agree - An article about how liberal colleges have become.

Faithful and true? - How Christian is the Christian college your thinking of attending?

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist has died

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist died in his home in Virginia Saturday evening.

To view his life story click here

From what I know of this man, he tried to do what is right. May we all strive for the same.

Blessings Mr. Rehnquist.

The battle over the Surpreme Court is just begining.

Also see my post at Virtue Blog

The Battle for New Orleans - Updated

Guys, I am watching the DateLine coverage from New Orleans tonight and that city is in tatters. Armed thugs are roaming around, people are trying to walk out, it is horrific. I tell you what, there is a lot that needs to happen in that city FAST! The national guard is coming in and with them will come food and water. Just from what I can see on TV I would say several things need to happen soon.

1. The first thing I would like to see is bulldozers rolling done the interstate into New Orleans with a following convoy of water, foodstuffs, portapottys, generators and whatever else might possibly be needed.

2. The second thing is to get the airport cleared and operating. As soon as that gets running you can start flying supplies in and people out in mass.

3. While rescue efforts continue get workers in there to get the city's dikes and pumps working again. This will cut down on potential sickness as well easing transportation and raising the city's moral.

4. After the city is clear of refugees clear main roads and extend rescue operations. As areas are cleared of survivors began clearing the city of rubble. At the same time crack down on looting and restore order. Until that is done, you can't restart the town.

5. Restart the city's infrastructure. (Get power back on, water running, sewers operating, gas shipments coming in...) During this time, get the oil companies working on their rigs.

6. Repair the port area. Get shipping back in the harbor. (More supplies can come in this way and at a lesser price)

7. Start rebuilding the town. Getting it safe to live in. Help people move into their new homes.

8. Now start looking for ways to protect the city from this type of disaster again. Look at things like stronger dikes for starters then branch out into building a breakwater or two to brake the force of the waves. Explore other options.

That's about all I can think of. But that town needs help and fast! Folk's, everyone remember to pray for these people how are down there tonight. Pray that help gets to them soon. Pray that the Lord will watch over then as the live through this horror. Pray for those who cannot locate loved ones.

May the Lord protect and save them all.

Update: Hey guys! As I have again been watching the news I was excited to see the army/national guard doing pretty much what my ideas were in New Orleans! They have already done numbers one and two and are working on 3. Kinda cool huh? :-)

College: A Big Challenge to Faith

As a 18 year old boy soon to be facing the world of college, I find this article by Agape Press very interesting. This article speaks about the alarming amount of teens that enter college as Christians and leave as atheists. This is positively scary. As a friend of mine put it:

"College will either make you or break you spiritually"

and I believe him. A secular college can be a beehive of liberal and atheist thought for a fresh-from-high-school home educator. So what is a young Christian to do?

Well, let me see.

1. You can attend a Christian college.
2. You can attend a secular college but live at home and avoid much after class mishmash. But that really doesn't help with the liberal atheistic teachers, so you must...
3. Study the Bible, history and science so much beforehand that you can refute the guy with the doctorate degree.
4. Not attend college.

Hmm well, what's a guy to do? I had thought of attending ECU near my home here in Oklahoma, but after finding out that one of the political science teachers is gay, I started to look for other options. I have always loved the thought of going to Patrick Henry College, but that is thousands of miles from home and that would put me seeing friends and family here only on holidays.
For more of my thoughts on college please see this post. It includes a list of colleges I am looking at and the pro's and con's of each. Have a look!

After that, let me ask you guys a question or two. What do you guys think about college? What are your plans? What do you see your self doing in 5-10 years? Please leave me a comment and let me know.

The Blogging Boy Scout,
Travis