No, I'm Not Dead

I realized today I have not posted on my blog in two weeks. My other responsibilities, such as earning a living, teaching Sunday School, and being a parent, have trumped the blog in recent days. I intend to be back soon.

Meanwhile, enjoy the month of April!

Hypocrisy at the Highest Levels

From the Washington Examiner via Net Right Nation comes this nugget: Pelosi et al., the ones who are seeking to ram through the abominable healthcare legislation that will socialize a substantial portion of our economy without a real up-or-down vote, once went so far as to join in a lawsuit to stop this same strategy for being used for the purpose for which it was actually intended. Here are parts of the article:

But put aside the present for the moment and step into my time machine. Dial the date selector back to 2005 when the Republican majority in Congress approved a national debt limit increase using a self-executing rule similar to the Slaughter Solution.

Guess who went to federal court to challenge the constitutionality of the move? The Ralph Nader-backed Public Citizen legal activists. Here's the argument they made:

[Click here to read their argument]

And now for the kicker, guess who joined Public Citizen in that suit with amicus briefs:

Nancy Pelosi

Henry Waxman

Louise Slaughter

If the Pelosi/Slaughter/Waxman argument against using a self-executing rule against a debt limit increase measure sounds familiar, it should because it's the same argument now being used by Republicans to oppose the Slaughter Solution for moving Obamacare through the House.

Of course, there is one major difference between 2005 and 2010. Debt limit increases are routine in Congress and have been for decades. But to place the American private health care system under government control -- effectively socializing one-sixth of the U.S. economy -- that has never been done before.

Read all about it here and here.

How is Your Congressman Going to Vote?

The Hill, which is more-or-less the newspaper of record covering things in Congress, has published a list of which Democrats could possibly vote "No" on the abominable healthcare legislation currently before the U.S. House. Please take a look at the list, and if you have a Congressman who might vote "No" on this bill, call and demand that he/she do the right thing!

For those of you in Michigan, Reps. Stupak, Schauer, and Kildee are on the list. Pester them if they belong to you!

The Media Just Doesn't Get Homeschooling

In an AP story I found on foxnews.com, someone evidently discovered that a lot of the most popular science textbooks among homeschooling parents do not promote Darwinian evolution. Early in the article we find this:

Christian-based materials dominate a growing home-school education market that encompasses more than 1.5 million students in the U.S. And for most home-school parents, a Bible-based version of the Earth's creation is exactly what they want. Federal statistics from 2007 show 83 percent of home-schooling parents want to give their children "religious or moral instruction."

No surprise there—that's why they homeschool! The public indoctrination centers (a.k.a., public schools) promote and propagandize the theory of evolution while trying their very best to demean and squash any thought that an all-powerful and all-knowing God created everything.

The majority of the rest of the article then whines about the fact that some homeschoolers—presumably that other 17%—don't want their children taught about Creation. Why such people would choose to use Christian science materials is beyond me, unless it is because such books do such a good job of teaching science overall.

One of the two books featured in the article is the Biology (3rd ed.) text from Bob Jones University Press, my alma mater. I am somewhat familiar with the first two editions of the Biology book, and I am even now using their 3rd edition 7th grade Life Science textbook with my daughter. This is an absolutely top-notch textbook in every way. If the Biology text is even half as good as the 7th grade text—and I strongly suspect it is—it will still be one of the very best Biology textbooks around.

The "reviewers" used by the AP in this article demean these texts; one said he would give the books an F. They clearly equate "good science" with slavish devotion to evolutionary theory. This is one of the greatest errors of our age. The mass of evidence points to a Creator far more powerful than we comprehend, not to an existence that came about by some happenstance or chance.

And if parents want to teach this to their children, more power to them.

More From irs.gov....

You know you're in big trouble when the IRS makes an example of you on its website. Here we learn of someone who got into a mess of his own making:

WASHINGTON — Massachusetts Tax Attorney Kevin Kilduff was barred from practicing before the Internal Revenue Service for 48 months for failing to file one federal tax return and for filing another five returns late.

“Professionals who demonstrate a lack of respect for our tax system by failing to meet their own tax filing obligations should not expect to retain the privilege to practice before the IRS,” said Karen L. Hawkins, Director of the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).

The OPR had originally sought the 48-month suspension, alleging Kilduff’s conduct was willful and disreputable. OPR enforces standards of conduct under Treasury Circular 230, which governs enrolled agents, attorneys and certified public accountants. Kilduff formerly worked for the IRS Office of Chief Counsel.

The Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) subsequently set the penalty at a 24-month suspension. Kilduff appealed the ALJ decision to the Secretary of the Treasury’s Appellate Authority, which in fact ultimately imposed the harsher 48-month suspension.

Kilduff’s suspension is for a minimum of 48 months. OPR has sole discretion regarding his reinstatement to practice before the IRS. At the very least, Kilduff must file all federal returns and pay all taxes he is responsible for, or enter an acceptable installment agreement or offer in compromise. [Emphasis mine]

So let's sum up what not to do:

• Fail to file your own tax return and/or pay your taxes for several years, when you are supposedly helping other people do just that.
• Work for the legal arm of the IRS and then cross it.
• Appeal a 24-month suspension when you have been that foolish already.

Yes, I do work for H&R Block during this time of year. I don't read this stuff strictly for amusement. :-)

From irs.gov....

When you make money doing other people's tax returns and read information from the IRS, sometimes you encounter facts like these [data is the most recent available]:

Individual income tax returns reporting a tax liability in 2007 faced an average tax rate of 13.8 percent, the same as in 2006. Taxpayers with AGI of at least $410,096, the top 1 percent of taxpayers, accounted for 22.8 percent of AGI in 2007, an increase of 0.8 percentage points. These taxpayers accounted for 40.4 percent of total income tax reported in 2007, an increase from 39.9 percent in the previous year.

Points to note:

1. "reporting a tax liability" means that all those people who did not make enough money to owe the IRS are eliminated from the statistic. In other words, their "taxable income" was zero.

2. Does it bother you that 1% of the taxpayers are paying 40.4% of all the income taxes? On the other end, over 40% of "taxpayers" are paying no income taxes...and in many cases, claiming credits, such as the Earned Income Credit, that provide them with robust refunds anyway.

Not By Chance, Chapter 5: Governing Providence: A Case Study

This fifth chapter of the excellent book Not By Chance moves on to the topic of governing providence. Here is the definition again:

God guides and governs all events, including the free acts of men and their external circumstances, and directs all things to their appointed ends for His glory.

It is important to note that God does not initiate or cause all events. He does not force or even tempt men to sin; He does not lie; He cannot deny Himself.

The story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50 is used as the basis for a lengthy list of lessons we can learn about God's governing providence. Here are several from Chapter 37 alone:

God, in His providence, blesses, exalts, and uses whom He will (p. 65). “God is always right and God is always good”…regardless of our perception.

God, in His providence, allows and uses the anger and hatred of people to accomplish His purposes (p. 66)

God’s providence incorporates the faithfulness and obedience of His children (p. 69). We must still be obedient; we can’t be “lackadaisical or fatalistic.”

God’s providence often encompasses human aid (p. 70). Isn’t it nice to know that God can, and often does, use what we see as “chance encounters”?

God, in His providence, restrains evil plans and intentions that do not serve His purposes (p. 71)

God, in His providence, may allow the failure of good intentions (p. 71)

God’s providence encompasses apparent coincidences (p. 71)

God, in His providence, may allow us to be betrayed and cruelly sinned against (p. 72)

Here are several from subsequent chapters:

God, in His providence, may allow us to be falsely accused and unjustly maligned (p. 74). Note Joseph’s response when thrown in prison (Gen. 39:21-23)

God, in His providence, gives us favor with those of His choosing (p. 75)

God, in His providence, gifts us to minister to others (p. 75)

God, in His providence, allows our suffering to be prolonged, our gifts and abilities to go unnoticed, our deeds to be forgotten, sometimes for a long time (p. 76)

God, in His providence, causes us to be remembered and recognized in His timing, and lifts us to minister to others (p. 76)

God, in His providence, employs natural phenomena to effect His purposes in people’s hearts (p. 79)

God, in His providence, may allow His own people to suffer need (p. 81)

God, in His providence, causes us to face the consequences of our sins and actions (p. 81)

God, in His providence, can effect a total transformation of character, though it be years later (p. 81)

The conclusion of the story of Joseph (although we call it a story, keep in mind that it really, factually happened) is summarized in Genesis 45:5-8 and 50:20. It was indeed the plan of God for Joseph to be enslaved, lied about, mistreated, imprisoned, and forgotten—so that he could be in the place that God wanted him to be years later, able to provide for his family (and several countries) and keep them from starvation.

How do we respond when we are faced with betrayal, deception, accusations, etc.?

How do we respond when we are unfairly treated, unjustly maligned, wrongly accused, or forgotten?

Do we respond as Christ did when He was accused, tried, and crucified?

Do we look up trials and afflictions as light and momentary?

Do we measure present problems by eternal standards?


For Previous Chapters:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

My Biennial Olympic Rant

The Olympics are here. I enjoy watching the Olympics on TV (with some exceptions; see below) and especially enjoy seeing all the athletes march in during the Opening Ceremony. It will probably be the brightest light and the greatest attention that single soul from Ghana will enjoy during the Games—but more power to him! I also enjoy seeing the statistics about how many athletes come from which country, and wonder why Lichtenstein has several more olympians than Mexico, a country with 3,000 times its population. And that one athlete from Mexico looks downright European.

I wonder why some events are in the Olympics. To me, events should meet one (or more) of three significant criteria before the event should be in the Olympics:

1. A winner can be determined by the use of a stopwatch. In: Downhill skiing, speed skating

2. A winner can be determined by the use of a tape measure. In: Ski jumping (sans judging)

3. A winner can be determined by some sort of predetermined, objective scoring system. In: Hockey, curling, biathalon

Events should also represent activities that meet one or more of these criteria:

1. Some sizable number of people, at some time during human history, engaged in the event or something similar. In: Cross-country skiing, biathalon

2. The event is, and has been, widely popular in some portion of the world. In: Hockey, bobsled

3. The winner is not determined by judges using subjective criteria. Referees or similar officials are acceptable if their purpose is to enforce the rules of the event.

Based on these criteria, certain events should be removed from the Olympics as soon as possible. Here are my top candidates:

1. Figure skating (all categories). The winners are decided by judges, using incomprehensible criteria (if any). There has been widespread speculation, as well as evidence, that corrupt deals have been made in the past to help/hurt certain competitors. Not exactly the Olympic spirit, if you ask me.

The only reason this is an Olympic event is because of its huge TV ratings. Some watch for the beauty and athleticism; others for the NASCAR-esque joy of watching a wipeout. Are these athletes talented? Certainly. Are they enjoyable to watch? Often, yes. Olympic medals? No way.

Miscellaneous observation: Virtually all figure skating commentators should be banned from TV, radio, or other public media forever. Corollary: If John Madden returns to a broadcast booth, put him here. A match made in heaven, right?

2. Moguls/Snowboarding/Freestyle skiing: ESPN invented the X Games for such things as this. These are judged events that only a handful of crazy (though talented) souls have ever safely attempted in the course of human history.

Miscellaneous observation: Do any of them dress normally and wear normal-looking hair? Why is this?

3. Short track skating (in its current form): If this could simply be a matter of each competitor being timed and the best time wins, I'd be all for it. Instead, it resembles roller derby and requires officials to determine whether a bump disqualifies the bumper...etc.

Miscellaneous observation: We got two medals in this sport for no other reason than one Korean made a stupid move. This is not the greatest source of national pride we could have...but we'll take the medals.

Events that are of dubious value:

1. Two-man luge: Why? Whose idea was this, anyway? Move this sport to the X Games, but keep single-man luge. Sledding has historic value, right?

2. Ski jumping with judging: Why the need for judges? Shouldn't it just be whoever goes the farthest and lands on their skis gets the prizes? And if they do a backflip in the air, so what?

3. Skeleton: Just how is this different from luge? Could these events be combined somehow? How many people have a "skeleton" in the garage? How many know what it is, or where it is used?

In any case, I'm rooting for the Americans in all the events...even the dubious ones.

Update: My rant really is biennial; here is the previous installment.

How Religious are the People of Your State?

I encountered some very interesting statistics, complete with interactive charts, at this website. The statistics compare "how religious" the residents of each state are with regard to the following:

• Importance of religion
• Worship attendance
• Frequency of prayer
• Belief in God

Mississippi ranks highest in all four categories. Below are the percentages in each category (highest [MS], national average, Michigan, lowest [state])

• Percent who say religion is very important in their lives: 82%, 56%, 54%, 36% [NH/VT]
• Percent who say they attend religious services at least once a week: 60%, 39%, 38%, 22% [AK]
• Percent who say they pray at least once a day: 77%, 58%, 56%, 40% [ME]
• Percent who say they believe in God with absolute certainty: 91%, 71%, 71%, 54% [NH/VT]

The statistics are a sad commentary on the religious state of our country. Let's pray and work toward improvement!