Yes! Governor Rick Perry has signed on supporting a resolution affirming state sovereignty. Next step, SECESSION!

Look at item #8.

Update: Since we're talking about health, here's the most important thing when you're trying to lose weight (no longer points to original article so here is the Google cached version).

Yesterday I took more pics of the colorful sky with Joshua's cellphone. Oooh, pretty!

We also did some shooting at the range.

Some parting words I received from my bro:

"Remember democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide."

– John Adams, letter to John Taylor, April 15, 1814

"Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity and happiness of the people; and not for profit, honor or private interest of any one man, family or class of men; therefore, the people alone have an incontestable, unalienable and indefeasible right to institute government; and to reform, alter or totally change the same, when their protection, safety, prosperity and happiness require it."

– John Adams, "Thoughts on Government," 1776

"I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. In my youth I traveled much, and I observed in different countries, that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer."

– Benjamin Franklin, "On the Price of Corn and Management of the Poor," November 1766

"But with respect to future debt; would it not be wise and just for that nation to declare in the constitution they are forming that neither the legislature, nor the nation itself can validly contract more debt, than they may pay within their own age, or within the term of 19 years."

– Thomas Jefferson, September 6, 1789

"Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves, therefore, are its only safe depositories."

– Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, Query 14, 1781

"I think we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious."

– Thomas Jefferson, letter to William Ludlow, September 6, 1824

Uh oh.

On my way to work today I saw a canvas of strange clouds.

(Click it for a bigger pic.)

Afterwards, for lunch I had a healthy meal- tuna on crackers with broccoli and fat free Ranch- followed by the greatest temptation ever devised in the history of human kind. Pics below, if you dare look.

(Hint: it's neither the bread nor the water.)

The first greatest temptation is, of course, the female of my species. I definitely recommend not looking, even if you dare.

Yesterday, the children and I- all four of them (which includes two dogs and two teenagers)- went to the Bird Sanctuary (a natural preserve guarded by the City of Garland). There was a very bright planet in the night sky. It was probably Venus. Can anybody confirm?

Till next time, be blessed and a blessing!

We're screwed.

Stimulus Not Stimulating

Stimulus Fails to Stimulate

etc.

You realize we and our children and our children's children have just been robbed... for what? Can anybody tell me what good this "stimulus package" does for Americans?

In an exclusive interview, Christian Bale, the actor who was recently recorded going ballistic on the set of the next Terminator movie, says that the recording is being "taken out of context."

He claims that the audio was not recorded on the Terminator set, but on another set for an as yet unnamed movie, and that it was actually recorded during a "scene for the movie in which I play an angry actor who is a real asshole and in this one scene he just yells and screams at the movie crew for messing up a scene."

Bale says he is "just an actor trying to do his job" and he hopes "everybody can put this behind them and stop thinking I'm an asshole."

Steph has the art skillz! Check this out!

The control labeled slow<--->fast changes the speed of the drawing. You can actually see all the strokes she made to create the "painting."

Drop her a note and let her know what you think! :)

Zoo Trip - Steph and I visited the zoo on New Year's Eve day.

Christmas (2008) - I had intended to take some photos and then send out Christmas postcards, but that didn't get done this year. Definitely next year! Maybe.

(Sung to "Santa Clause is Coming to Town," of course.)

I love this headline from ABC News!

Sunday Shopping Banned in Croatia
Croatian Shops to Be Closed on Sundays as of Jan. 1 in Concession to Catholic Church

Read the article here.

It is interesting that the one commandment that begins with "Remember" has been forgotten.

There's a billboard up next to the highway on the way to work advertising Justice4peace.org. If you go there, you'll find an invitation to a meeting here in Richardson, Texas, as well as a video about someone named Maitreya. If you watch the video, you'll find that this person is supposed to be the fulfillment of the prophecies of many religions.

Interestingly, it has been the Adventist position for a long time that Satan would appear "as an angel of light" and fulfill the Messianic prophecies of many religions. I don't think this particular individual is that proclaimed fulfillment, as I believe the fulfillment will be much more spectacular and come on the heels of major disruptions to our way of life. Who knows. Maybe Maitreya has something up his/her sleeves.

The Bible warns believers in the end times to avoid these false appearances of "Christ," as they are deceptions. If you have any questions about it, please feel free to post a question here or send me an email.

Interesting times, indeed!

Ollie and Jake had a photo session the other day. Check it out!

Stephanie is volunteering some time at the In-Sync Exotics sanctuary in Wylie, Texas. If you have a spare dime, please consider a donation to help keep these magnificent beasts (my pics) fed and housed. They have been rescued from across the nation from owners who could no longer keep them or who did not keep them well.

If you visit, each animal has a short history posted on his/her cage. Some of the stories are tragic, but they are all inspiring.

Ah, the traditions of Thanksgiving. Turkey. Dressing. Family. Friends. Guitar Hero.

Wait, what?

Just wanted to note that back on September 27, 2008, we went horseback riding with Black Mustang Ranch.

Stephanie turned 16 on the 6th of November. Her sweet 16 birthday consisted of a horseback ride with friends and family and a murder mystery theater dinner at the Southfork Hotel. What a fun time! Be sure to wish Steph a happy 16th!

We went to a haunted house the other night and on the way (it was a 45 minute drive), we made up a "12 Days of Halloween" song. You can hear it now. The lyrics are as follows:

On the 12th day of halloween, my true love gave to me,

twelve zombies dancing,
eleven vampires biting,
ten... white... skulls,
nine leeches sucking,
eight bloody heads,
seven bats a-flyin',
six weaving spiders,
five razor blades,
four eyeballs in a jar,
three ugly hunchbacks,
two rotten eggs, and
A KNIFE IN THE NECK!!!

Props to Steph, Rayni, and Logan for thinking up all these scary things.

Steph also got a pic taken with Louis (?).

I was able to get hold of some artwork that has not yet been released to the public! It is a very impressive drawing of a tiger, done by Stephanie Jade Lester. Check it out!

No doubt this was inspired by her recent interest in The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species.

Well, I just found out today that Daniel Craig is 40 years old. What that says to me is that if Bond can do it, so can I. :-D

And, yes, I'm greatly anticipating Quantum of Solace.

When I started my workout program in April this year, I was at 172lbs and 21% body fat. This week I measured at 160lbs and 18.4% body fat! Excellent.

Also this week, Joshua is now ready to take the GED! We had him in classes to prepare, but after taking the practice test, they determined he was already ready. Excellent.

Steph is turning 16 soon. Just got her report card and she's averaging between 95 and 100. I'm impressed! She also took the PSAT on Wednesday and said it was easy. Excellent.

Join me in my civil action of paying no income taxes in 2009 as a protest against the forceful taking of my money to bail out irresponsible businesses and banks.

Our "representatives" in Congress no longer represent us. Therefore, it is time we all take action. By not paying our 2009 income taxes, we will give them a reason to listen to us again.