It Has Begun

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is blocking certain websites from the federal agency's computers, including halting access by staffers to any Internet pages that contain a "controversial opinion," according to an internal email obtained by CBS News.

You can read more here.


The Cybersecurity Act of 2009 introduced in the Senate would allow the president to shut down private Internet networks. The legislation also calls for the government to have the authority to demand security data from private networks without regard to any provision of law, regulation, rule or policy restricting such access.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-What constitutes a controversial opinion and who declares it as such?
-Would religious views be considered controversial? Political views?
-How long should the President be able to shut down the internet? Is 4 months overkill?
-Is the government allowed to be above the law?

Civility & Good Advice From the Past

A couple of questions:
-Were people just more civil and discerning in the past?
-Why can't we have politicians that have this type of character?

Joining The Revolution? Moving To Texas?

Today American taxpayers in more than 300 locations in all 50 states will hold rallies -- dubbed "tea parties" -- to protest higher taxes and out-of-control government spending. There is no political party behind these rallies, no grand right-wing conspiracy, not even a 501(c) group like MoveOn.org. You can read more on this here.



“I believe that our federal government has become oppressive in its size, its intrusion into the lives of our citizens, and its interference with the affairs of our state,” Gov. Perry said. “That is why I am here today to express my unwavering support for efforts all across our country to reaffirm the states’ rights affirmed by the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution..."
You can read more on this here.

Some questions:
-Are we heading for another civil war- this time people vs. government officials?
-Do you think the politicians are listening?
-Did you participate today in a tea party?
-Do you think what Texas is looking to do really means anything in the grand scheme of things?
-Would you support a revolution? If so, what would be your cause for rallying?

The End Of A Democracy: The Collapse Of The U.S.A.

Mr. Panarin posits, in brief, that mass immigration, economic decline, and moral degradation will trigger a civil war next fall and the collapse of the dollar. Around the end of June 2010, or early July, he says, the U.S. will break into six pieces -- with Alaska reverting to Russian control.

"There's a 55-45% chance right now that disintegration will occur," he says. "One could rejoice in that process," he adds, poker-faced. "But if we're talking reasonably, it's not the best scenario -- for Russia." Though Russia would become more powerful on the global stage, he says, its economy would suffer because it currently depends heavily on the dollar and on trade with the U.S.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Do you think this is more plausible than we would like to admit or is it simply Russian propaganda?
-Does this give you reason to be fearful?
-Should Christians have a reason to not fear such predictions?
-If we were to speculate, what would you see as being a post American world? Better? Worse? The same but with different labels?

Moral Depravity Runs Through & Through

Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff, John Harris, were arrested today by FBI agents on federal corruption charges alleging that they and others are engaging in ongoing criminal activity: conspiring to obtain personal financial benefits for Blagojevich by leveraging his sole authority to appoint a United States Senator; threatening to withhold substantial state assistance to the Tribune Company in connection with the sale of Wrigley Field to induce the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members sharply critical of Blagojevich; and to obtain campaign contributions in exchange for official actions – both historically and now in a push before a new state ethics law takes effect January 1, 2009.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Should those in positions of heads of state be subject to criminal charges?
-Should the federal government be able to remove heads of state?
-If these allegations are proven true, what punishment should be handed down?
-How do we as citizens safeguard our liberties from things like this? Practically how do we?
-Did you ever trust your elected officials? Do you now?

Voting Rights Hindered?

Follow Up Video:


Billy Club. Black Panthers. What say you?

Joe Biden Drilled By Reporter

When tough questions are thrown at Biden, Obama's campaign pulls the plug on future interviews.


Are they going to do that if they make it to the White House?

Why I'm Voting For Obama

This was made by an acquaintance of mine. The color grading looks great and the natural feel of the camera movement and the microphone dropping in the shot give it a sense of "realness" that I think people can relate to.

What do you think about the reasons given for their vote going to Obama?

Thinking Outside Of His Cultural Box

Laz over at Last Row posted this video and I found it provocative and thought provoking.

Hillary Clinton Supporter Hates The N*&^% Obama

Redneck Woman Rails on Obama - Watch more free videos

Bigotry is a sad thing; especially when it is based on caricatures.

McCain's Costly Calculated Risk

With McCain announcing the suspension of his campaign and his return to Washington to focus on the impending economic crisis, he has taken a calculated risk that may or may not backfire depending on how it appeals to the American public.

Here are my thoughts: By John McCain being the one to announce this move (not Senator Obama) he took the offensive and placed Barack Obama on the defensive. You see, Obama has to respond to McCain's move and here are his options:

1. He can go along with McCain's plan and suspend his campaign as well until a plan passes Congress that is acceptable to the lawmakers and good for the country (hopefully). This makes Obama look like a follower and not a leader as he was not the one to suggest this strategy.

2. He can criticize McCain for bailing on the debate and mock him for not being able to handle both the campaign's responsibilities and his job as a senator of this great country. This is risky for Obama as this shows arrogance on his part and could show his green-ness when it comes to his experience in the Senate. After-all, this is similar to the situation in which President Bush was in when he stayed to read with the children instead of getting out of the classroom and in the loop of what was going on during the September eleventh attacks. He has been criticized ever since by the Democrats for this move (the same move the Obama campaign is advocating now.

Either way, John McCain has put Obama on the defensive and caused him to have to respond to the move Senator McCain is making. There may be another option he or his campaign staff are working on but regardless, he will have to make that move as a response to McCain which puts him in a reactionary role.

It doesn't sit well with me that these men were hired to do a job (the campaign is not one of them) and currently this nation is at a crossroads that could wind up costing tax-payer's billions of dollars and only one is willing to go back to Washington and do what he was hired to do. Did they both agree to the debate? Yes. However, they both were sworn in to fight for the good of this country as Senators and they both have a responsibility to lead in this regard. I say forget the debate as they are about as meaningless as they can be (that is another topic for another time). For one to say that that both should be doable if they have good staff around them and that they would go back if they were needed... well, again, that smells of the move Bush made during the Sept. 11th attacks and has been criticized for. Plus, it appears to show that Obama does not take seriously the economic issue that is gripping the nation and will affect every American in some way.

So while McCain is back in Washington working both sides of the aisles to help produce a plan that will stave off a disaster for tax-payers across our nation, Obama is out campaigning. I don't know about you, but this speaks volumes to me. Your thoughts?

Palin's Hacker Exposed

State Rep. Mike Kernell confirmed Thursday that his son, a University of Tennessee-Knoxville student, is at the center of heated Internet discussion into the hacking of the personal e-mail of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

Kernell, a Memphis Democrat, confirmed that it is his 20-year-old son, David, who is being widely named on Internet blogs and chatrooms in connection with an unfolding story about Palin's hacked e-mail accounts.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Do you think the democrats had anything to do with this?
-Will this negatively affect Obama?
-Do you think this is the result of a "like father, like son" mentality?
-Do you find what David Kernell did to be fair game, or should he be punished? What if it was the other way around: A republican's kid hacking Biden's email?
-Do you think there is more to this than meets the eye?

Common Sense Is Not So Common Anymore

A 10-year-old boy here has been suspended from school for having something most students carry in their supply boxes: a pencil sharpener.

So, let me get this straight. A student with no past record and no signs of aggression owns a pencil sharpener. No doubt the pencil sharpener was on the list of "Back to School" items on the approved list for his fourth grade class. He uses it a few times and the "made in China" pencil sharpener breaks exposing the blade. Now he has to make a decision. Do I A. Dissappoint the "go green" crowd and allow this to be yet another piece of non-eco friendly waste that will fill our landfills and destroy the earth. Or B. Do I continue to use it (it still works and allows me to be fiscally responsible)and bank on the fact that my teacher and the administrators are smart enough to recognize that a school approved pencil sharpener is being used for sharpening pencils.

The ever-trusting fourth grader chose to stay friendly with the "go green" crowd, show fiscal responsibility in not having his parents to buy him a new made-in-China pencil sharpener, and to trust in the common sense of those who are entrusted to educate him. Boy was that a wrong decision. Now he has to endure two days of suspension and possibly more disciplinary action for what? His parents buying a piece-of-junk pencil sharpener sold at Wal-Mart and made in China because they can make them cheaper and faster and Wal-Mart can continue to lower prices. You see what is going on here don't you? This is all part of the plan. Wal-Mart and China are in cohorts and due to our lack of common sense and our inability to put political correctness in its proper place, we will all have our children spending the entirety of their school age in suspension where they will be unable to learn and once they enter into the workforce the American economy will collapse and our nation will crumble. That is when China will move in and eradicate us to make way for their citizens to start having 2 children per marriage. After all, they will need the space and everything they need will already be sold at a Wal-Mart near them.

Ridiculous.

Here is the link.

Obama & McCain On Abortion & Human Life

Some questions:
-Who do you think has the better answer?
-Why do you think their answer is better?
-By what basis do you judge who is right on this issue? Science? The Bible?
-So when does human life begin?
-Did you find the video biased?
-Did you find this forum at Saddleback influential in your decision-making process concerning the presidential election?

Denny Burk: Thoughts On The Saddleback Presidential Debate

Denny Burk has chosen to blog live on the Saddleback Forum hosted by pastor of Saddleback: Rick Warren, author of all things purpose driven. I would encourage you to take a look at what he has written and watch the debate/forum between Obama and McCain yourself. As Christians we have a responsibility to make informed choices in every area of our lives as we are stewards over them; entrusted by God. The same holds true in elections.

Below you will find the links to the discussion.

Live Blogging Part 1 Here.

Live Blogging Part 2 Here.

Commenting On Rick Warren Here.

Overall Rating Here.

Some questions:
-What did you think of the forum?
-Does this put Rick Warren in a different light for you?
-Who do you think came out with more compelling, true arguments?
-Does this affect who you will vote for?
-Did you find this beneficial? What about the candidates being asked the same question?
-Why do some Christians not think it important to think through issues considered "secular"?

Hope Where There Is No Hope

The son of a prominent leader in the Hamas terrorist organization has publicly declared his faith in Jesus Christ and warned that Israel can never be at peace with the "wicked and cruel" men who lead Hamas.

Masab Yousef, who now prefers to be known as "Joseph," is the oldest son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a political leader of the Hamas organization in the West Bank and one of the movement's most popular public figures. He gave his life to Christ in 2004, four years after a friend invited him to a Bible study and he began to read the Christian scriptures for himself.

"At this stage I was still a Muslim and I thought that I would remain one. But every day I saw the terrible things done in the name of religion by those who considered themselves 'great believers,’" Yousef told the Haaretz news organization. "I studied Islam more thoroughly and found no answers there. I re-examined the Koran and the principles of the faith and found how it is mistaken and misleading. The Muslims borrowed rituals and traditions from all the surrounding religions."

"The people who supposedly represent the religion admired Mohammed more than God, killed innocent people in the name of Islam, beat their wives and don't have any idea what God is," he told Haaretz. "I have no doubt that they'll go to hell. I have a message for them: There is only one way to Paradise -- the way of Jesus who sacrificed Himself on the cross for all of us."

"Many people will hate me for this interview, but I'm telling them that I love all of them, even those who hate me. I invite all the people, including the terrorists among them, to open their hearts and believe," he told Haaretz. "Now I'm trying to establish an international organization for young people that will teach about Christianity, love and peace in the territories, too. I would like to teach the young people how to love and forgive, because that's the only way the two nations can overcome the mistakes of the past and live in peace."

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-What are our responsibilities to this brother?
-Do you believe that God has placed him there for a reason?
-How will you pray for this man?
-Even in reading the entirety of the article, can you see how God is already using him?
-Do you believe his life to be in danger by simply claiming faith in Christ? Why does such a declaration cause such a reaction?

Has Our Democracy Become A Joke?

See more Paris Hilton videos at Funny or Die

Some questions:
-What do you think our founding fathers would say concerning the current state of our union?
-Is nothing kept from mockery?
-Should our electoral system be revamped?
-Do the youth of our nation take seriously the issues concerning our future? If not, what do you think contributed to this?

The End of Contraception: The Government Defines Life

A new set of health laws that could be proposed by the government sometime in the next few weeks has women's health activists steaming. If the laws are implemented, they claim, women will have a harder time getting access to contraception.

The legislation, a draft of which was leaked last week to the New York Times, stokes the debate over when human life begins by taking the position that birth control that prevents the implantation of a fertilized egg actually results in abortion.

Late last week, Sen. Hillary Clinton called the planned rules (which could be imposed without congressional approval) "damaging" and a "dire threat to women" and warned that contraceptive coverage would "disappear overnight" if enacted.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Why do you think the legistlation states life begins at fertilization?
-What are your thoughts on birth control? Is it abortion? If not, when does life begin?
-Should this be legislated to the general public?
-What did women do before the invention of "the pill" to ensure they did not get pregnant- chastity?
-Do you agree with the proposed legislation? If so why? If not, why not?
-Do you see further ethical ramifications stemming from this legislation if passed?
-Has contraception been a good thing for us culturally? Spiritually?

Less Abortions Or No Abortions?

Denny Burk picked up on a discussion on Al Mohler's radio program between Tony Campolo and Russell Moore. Part of the transcript is below.

Moore: What would you say to someone that would argue as I would that getting together with abortion rights supporters and saying let’s reduce the number of abortions is something like a previous generation getting together with white supremacists and saying let’s find a way to reduce the number of lynchings. Don’t you kind of almost provide a smokescreen . . .

Campolo: Wait a minute. That was a very inflammatory way of stating the issue . . .

Moore: Not if unborn children are actually children . . .

Campolo: Would you let me respond? . . .

Even though Campolo is put off by the comparison to white supremacists, Moore’s analogy is entirely appropriate. Just as black Americans are persons created in God’s image whose lives should be protected in law against lynchings, so the unborn are persons whose lives should be protected in law against abortion.

You can read the rest here.
The audio can be heard here.

Some questions:
-Where do you stand on the issue of abortion?
-When does life qualify as human life?
-Do you think Moore's point is valid?
-Should the father have equal say in abortions concerning their unborn child?
-If abortion was outlawed, what would be the negative effects of such a ruling?

Man Walked On The Moon, Aliens Walked On Earth

FORMER NASA astronaut and moon-walker Dr Edgar Mitchell - a veteran of the Apollo 14 mission - has stunningly claimed aliens exist.

And he says extra-terrestrials have visited Earth on several occasions - but the alien contact has been repeatedly covered up by governments for six decades.

Dr Mitchell, 77, said during a radio interview that sources at the space agency who had had contact with aliens described the beings as 'little people who look strange to us.'

He said supposedly real-life ET's were similar to the traditional image of a small frame, large eyes and head.

Chillingly, he claimed our technology is "not nearly as sophisticated" as theirs and "had they been hostile", he warned "we would be been gone by now".

You can read more here.
You can listen to the audio here.

Some questions:
-Do you believe in intelligent alien life?
-Would such a belief contradict the Bible?
-Do you believe the statements Dr. Mitchell made or do you believe Nasa?
-Do you think our government lies to us? Why?