What did I just say (wish for) in my posting of only an hour ago?

Mike Huckabee unveiling the ad that he subsequently "pulled" as being too ugly and unworthy of American politics ... but that the news organizations have aired anyway ...

Andrew and I really meant what we wished for you all in my posting of only about an hour ago.

And I'm sure that my favorite among the Republican candidates wishes you all the best too.

Yes, Mike Huckabee probably pulled his "attack ad" against the Morm... uhhh, the non-Evangelical Christian ... in a less than satisfactory manner, but ...

Lord, teach all of us--myself, first and foremost--to learn, listen and hear Your Voice!

To be sure, sin and self, sadly, have so often clouded my vision and blotted out the sweet sound of Your Voice ... that I feel so unworthy of Your marvelous and excruciatingly painful death on the cross.

Forgive me ... and all of us who call out Your Beloved Name and whisper, "Jesus Crist, my Lord ... Holy, holy, holy!"

Happy New Year ... Each and Every One of You!!!

Andrew, one of the most faithful cats you will ever know, says Happy New Year to YOU ALL!!

And so do I !!

The picture of Andrew (above) was taken while Andrew was perched comfortably on the side window sill earlier this fall (note the greenery) and sort of reminded me of future warmer and sweeter days ahead in 2008.

I wonder how my brother Richard in Connecticut would view a McCain-Bush (Jeb) ticket in light of his crazy "keys"?

Might it be McCain-Bush in 2008?

That would be John and Jeb, of course ... but in complete alignment with the above photo that showed the possibility that Karl Rove may yet get his wish for a generally Neocon ticket.

And that is exactly why Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, the president's brother, could be the Neocon's answer to a prayer. Jeb Bush has carefully stayed out of the 2008 Presidential race--but that does not rule him out as a vice presidential candidate.

If McCain won, Jeb could be "anointed" to the No. 2 post with a possible "president" who will turn 72 on Aug. 29, 2008, and possibly only serve a single term. Even if McCain lost to, say, Hillary, Jeb would have enhanced national recognition for a run in 2012.

But just thinking for today, and not a year from now, McCain--who is still very close to the party's neoconservative wing--has been pretty consistent in defending the president's decision to go to war, despite his stated doubts about prewar planning and mistakes early in the occupation.

Who knows? But I certainly can't help but notice who's #1 in the Rasmussen daily Polls these days.

And wouldn't a situation like a previous President's wife running against the President's brother (albeit in the #2 spot on the ticket) put the "Keys to the White House" into a cocked hat?

Huckabee angrily defends himself and Senator McCain from Romney's latest lies ...

Mike Huckabee angrily defends both himself and Senator McCain from Romney's latest sleazy lies ...

Maybe it's time for the rhetoric on both (all) sides to simmer down a bit,

Then again, there is absolutely no excuse for Mitt Romney not to check in with his LDS mentors in Salt Lake City and get the latest prophesies as put out by the elders and the "prophet(s)" there so as not to muddy the waters with his mistaken versions of "facts."

The "comparisons" I saw earlier this evening in ads sponsored by Mitt Romney on CNN and Fox were about the worst and ugliest pack of lies I've seen yet.

No, Governor Huckabee was not about to deny every commutation or pardon that came to his desk and no, he isn't for denying illegal immigrants' children schooling in the State of Arkansas. And Senator McCain was correct in searching for a comprehensive Immigration Bill--and reaching across the aisle in Congress to try to get a bipartisan bill before President Bush.

Is attacking Huckabee and McCain your view of "Christian (or even Mormon) love," Mr. Romney?

Keep up the righteous anger, Mr. Huckabee and let's take back the White House for goodness, righteousness and a gentleness that is very much needed in politics today.

Go get 'em, Mike!

And notice that your key in the upper right hand corner of my brother's (my brother Richard in Connecticut) keys to the White House is the only key with no hole in the finger-piece.

Another "key" might be turning as President Bush vetoes funding of Iraq War

President Bush seems to be listening as he vetoes spending to continue the Iraq War

But listening to ... who exactly?

It appears that it was the Iraq Government that asked Mr. Bush to veto the spending bill this week ... even after it passed both houses (at Mr. Bush's request) with overwhelming majorities.

The leaders of both Houses of the US Congress were a little upset, to say the least--after having really gone through hoops to get the bill passed for the White House.

"It is unfortunate that the president will not sign this critical legislation," Congressional Democratic leaders House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said in a statement yesterday. "Instead, we understand that the president is bowing to the demands of the Iraqi government, which is threatening to withdraw billions of dollars invested in U.S. banks if this bill is signed."

If the American people weren't quite sure what the Iraq war is/was all about, they ought to get the idea now, I think.

Another of the keys that my brother Richard in Connecticut stares at day and night seems to be turning, don't you think?

My brother Richard in Connecticut has scampered down to the key in the lower left now ... but, Lou Dobbs???

Lou Dobbs ... a potential candidate?

Is illegal immigration really all that important an issue when the lives of so many Iraqis (not to mention 150,000 or so US troops there), the health of our citizenry and countless unborn babies facing abortion are at stake? Well, look carefully at the key in the lower left corner in a portrait of my brother's "Keys to the White House" in the last posting and go figure. The Americans for Legal Immigration PAC (ALIPAC ... rhymes with "ally cat"--but nowhere nearly as Christian as a sweet homeless kitty) is looking at Lou Dobbs, a CNN anchor for the love of Ralph (one of my cats from Saudi Arabia), should Mike Huckabee, Rudy Giuliani or John McCain become the front runner in the Republican race.

The only thing these three candidates have in common is compassion--a Christian virtue and something we should be looking for in all of our candidates--Republican, Democrat or Republitarian! But Lou Dobbs may become the "candidate to the rescue" for those who prey on the ugly and unchristian thoughts of so many Americans who simply care about one issue--get the Mexicans back on their side of the Rio Grande! And by the way, I am not a Giuliani fan although I recognize his concern for most Americans who are in need--not to have always included the unborn, of course, until he recognized the political need to modify his "concerns" in that regard.

But Lou Dobbs !?!?!

My Brother Richard's "Keys" versus the "Real" Keys to the White House ...

My brother Richard from Connecticut has been pouring over the above keys now for almost a year and concluded that the second one from the left on the top row (Ron Paul) is a shoo-in to be elected. Now admittedly, he used to literally count the keys as literally articulated in the book literally shown on the right, below (also used literally by statisticians as a source for random numbers), but with the world looking so topsy-turvy and the Presidential polls looking so erratic, he has turned to the real "keys" (above) and is certain that RP will be the next occupant of the WH as a Rebublitarian (figuratively speaking) ... or something like that.

I'm truly lucky (and that's the truth!) to have Richard as my beloved brother and have a head's up on politics as often as I dial his telephone number.

Here's a "Buck" not for Huck!

But will the thousands of "bucks for Huck" be enough to offset the tens of millions that Mitt Romney can pull from his bank account to not only sink Mike Huckabee, but John McCain and Rudy Giuliani as well?

Sadly, the American electorate is easily swayed by the million-dollar TV ads and the paid-in-full campaign events that have managed to win elections since about the middle of the Nineteenth Century.

Uh oh! This is terrible ... both for the Pakistani people and for the world ...

Benazir Bhutto

This is no simple tragedy. This is likely to inflame Muslims in areas well beyond Pakistan (yes, that's the nuclear power wherein Osama hangs his hat) and inflame the desire for Democracy well beyond that which Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is able to deliver in two weeks or so ... or ever.

Clearly the assassination of Benazir Bhutto draws a clear line between Bush's references to the War on Terror (remember 9-11?) and the entirely unrelated War in Iraq.

The fact that the January 8 Pakistani election could be delayed--and a major candidate has been killed makes it awfully hard to go ahead with even giving the vague impression that Pakistan has at last returned to a democratic process.

What next?

God only knows.

Is it possible? Can Bill and Hillary (uhhh ... make that Hillary and Bill) lead us "forward" to change??

Bill and Hillary at a church service in Iowa--where else?

Both Hillary and Barack (a.k.a. Senators Clinton and Obama as my brother Richard in Connecticut has been wont to remind me about lately) are offering to change America's image both abroad and at home--sadly and sorely needed. Maybe that's why the Democrats are so eager to either have an African American or a woman sitting in the White House.

And just how different might that be? Well, with Bill in the First Gentleman's role or his advisors in all of Barack's Cabinet appointees, you go figure just how much change might be likely.

For my money, having an honest Christian in the White House (e.g., Mike Huckabee) would be about the right (no pun intended) amount of "change."

This posting has been approved by Mediawingnuts, Mike Huckabee and Chuck Norris!

A Blessed and Joyous Christmas to You All!!

Uhhh ... Mayor Giuliani, sir ... you might peek over your left shoulder ...

The latest poll in California, which chooses roughly one-fifth of the delegates needed to nominate, has things tightening up slightly. Yes, Giuliani is likely to beat Huckabee there in probably the most secular state in the country, but Huckabee's sound, polite and moral stance now has him only eight points behind the pro-choice, thrice-wed New Yorker. It's 25% Giuliani versus 17% Huckabee as of the latest survey.

Who knows ... just maybe ...

Political Dirty Tricks, Me Thinks!

Huckabee Family Christmas Card of a Few Years Back

Talk about dirty politics! Matt Drudge has dragged out an ancient photo of Mike and his family--pre-loss of 130-plus pounds--in his current anti-Huckabee tirade. Personally, I see this as a dirty trick by either the Romney campaign or the Giuliani campaign and similarly, the "leak" today about the Democrats hoping that they will run against Huckaballoon rather than either of them.

What thinkest thou?

Everyone thought that Fred Thompson's campaign was "dead" ... but Mitt might suggest that it only needs to be "baptized" !!

Baptismal Font at the LDS temple in Salt lake City where "Baptism for the Dead" (e.g., Fred's campaign) had/have often been performed in proxy by the LDS faithful

It might be interesting to ask Mitt Romney exactly what his views are on the Mormon ritual/sacrament of "Baptism for the Dead," don't you think?

For my part, the explanation at the official search engine at lds.org suggests that the LDS practice of "Baptism for the Dead" isn't a whole lot different than the prayers I sent "wherever" for souls in Purgatory (when I was a young Roman Catholic) a few decades ago. Many of the rituals and practices of so-called "cults" are actually another way of interpreting scriptures that were penned 2000 years ago. Let's give the Mormons (but not Mitt Romney, heaven forbid) a break on this and a number of other issues, if you please.

This is not an anti-Mormon posting--only one that takes a realistic view of Thompson's continuing campaign wherein he periodically opens one of his eyes and I pop another NoDoz pill.

Merry Christmas and God Bless ... Mediawingnuts approves this message!

Mike Huckabee clearly breaking the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and states' laws everywhere!

Yes he really said:

"At this time of year, sometimes it's nice to pull aside from all of that [politics and such] and remember that what really matters is the celebration of the birth of Christ."

followed by:

"I hope you and your family have a magnificent Christmas season. God bless you and Merry Christmas."

And for this latest affront to our secular state, he has been excoriated by CNN, Fox News, Air America, ABC, NBC and CBS ... plus others, I'm sure.

No, Mike Huckabee probably shoudn't have asked the question, Mitt ... but please answer it yourself, at least!

Admittedly, Mike Huckabee shouldn't have asked the question of the New York Times as to whether Mormons believe (or don't believe) that Lucifer and Jesus are brothers, but ...

When Matt Lauer asked Romney the "Huckabee question"--to clear the matter up, Romney refused to answer and passed the question off to the Church of Latter Day Saints (the Mormon Headquarters in Salt Lake City). The Mormon Church then put out a formal statement that could not and did not deny that they believe that Jesus is the elder brother of Lucifer (go to the LDS website).

It would have been better for Romney to incorrectly say "No" or to even say "Yes, and so what?" than to defer the question to a "higher authority." I really don't want a President Mitt Romney asking his church if it's all right or not all right to change the tax structure or to invade God-knows-who.

That is scarier than the peculiar beliefs of the Mormon Church, in my opinion.

Ron Paul garnishes the endorsements of my brother Richard in Connecticut, the Moonlight Bunny Ranch in Nevada and ... a blimp??

Yeh, it did seem a little silly for Mike Huckabee to bring Chuck Norris aboard his campaign, and Hillary's choices of Steven Spielberg and Barbara Streisand really didn't pump her campaign up a whole lot. Admittedly, Oprah Winfrey jumped Barack Obama's poll numbers by a point or two, but ...

Ron Paul has outdone them all. With the Moonlight Bunny brothel solidly in his corner as of yesterday, he went a step further and launched the long-awaited "Blimp for Ron Paul" (above) campaign and it appears we all can see where that will lead.

"Well, Hillary, I'm looking forward to you advising me, as well."

Obama returns tit-for-tat!

It was probably the best one-liner--and entirely brought on by Hillary--of all of the debates to date. And yes, as a vice-president (if Hillary should be so lucky), she would be a principle advisor.

When Obama was asked how he was going to enact "change" in America with so many advisors from the Clinton Administration, Hillary popped in with "I want to hear that."

That was when Obama returned with the headline retort, "Well, Hillary, I'm looking forward to you advising me, as well."

... and brought the house down. I now see Obama as a possible long-shot possibility to become the Democratic Presidential nominee.

"Don't they believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?" Not all that strange a question from someone outside of the LDS organization ...

Jesus and Lucifer?
... and even Mitt Romney had to defer the question to his superiors in Salt lake City when presented with the same question. Can we blame Mike Huckabee for at least wondering?

This blog posting is likely to label me a bigot, and surely at least a couple in my own family referred to me as a Bible thumper for previous (less controversial) postings.

The following web commentary (with excellent and credible--easily checked--references, thanks to Google) by Sandra Tanner might help: (scroll down for names and specific portions of quotes highlated in green and red, resp.)

LDS Teaching on Lucifer
By Sandra Tanner
In order to understand the LDS doctrine regarding Lucifer one must also understand its doctrine of man. The LDS Church teaches that everyone, Jesus and Lucifer included, had a pre-mortal existence where we were born as spirit children of God and his wife.

In the LDS teaching manual Gospel Principles we read:

God is not only our ruler and creator; he is also our Heavenly Father. . . . Every person who was ever born on earth was our spirit brother or sister in heaven. The first spirit born to our heavenly parents was Jesus Christ (see D&C 93:21), so he is literally our elder brother (see Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 26). Because we are the spiritual children of our heavenly parents, we have inherited the potential to develop their divine qualities. (Gospel Principles, 1997, p. 11)

However, prior to this spirit birth each of us had eternally existed as an "intelligence." Angels, devils, mortals and gods are regarded as the same species but in different stages of advancement or judgment.

In one of Joseph Smith's revelations we read, "Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be" (Doctrine and Covenants 93:29). According to another of Smith's revelations, God told Abraham:

I dwell in the midst of them all . . . for I rule in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath, in all wisdom and prudence, over all the intelligences thine eyes have seen from the beginning; I came down in the beginning in the midst of all the intelligences thou hast seen.

Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones. (Abraham 3:21-22, Pearl of Great Price)

According to LDS doctrine, the two oldest sons of God were Jesus and Lucifer. Lucifer convinced one-third of his brothers and sisters to join him in rebellion and were expelled from Heaven (see Gospel Principles, chapter 3). The other two-thirds became the humans born on our earth. This doctrine is mainly drawn from Joseph Smith's revelations in the Book of Abraham and the Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price. According to Joseph Smith, Moses recorded:

And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying—Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor.

But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.
Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice. (Moses 4:1-4, Pearl of Great Price)

This is discussed in the current LDS Sunday School manual for children ages 8-11:

1. In the premortal life we were spirit children and lived with our heavenly parents (Hebrews 12:9).

2. Jesus was the firstborn spirit child of Heavenly Father (D&C 93:21) and is the older brother of our spirits.

3. Lucifer, who became Satan, was also a spirit child of Heavenly Father.

4. Heavenly Father called a meeting for all his spirit children. At this meeting he explained his plan for us to become like him. . . .

5. At this meeting Heavenly Father also explained that on earth we would all sin and we would all die. Heavenly Father needed someone to be the Savior, to suffer for our sins, and to die for us so that we could be resurrected.

6. Lucifer wanted Heavenly Father to change his plan. Lucifer said he would save everyone by taking away their freedom to choose, . . . Lucifer also wanted all the honor (Moses 4:1).

7. Because he loved us (John 15:13), Jesus volunteered to be our Savior. He wanted to follow Heavenly Fathers plan and give the glory to Heavenly Father (Moses 4:2).

8. Heavenly Father chose Jesus to be our Savior. Lucifer was angry and rebelled against Heavenly Father (Revelation 12:79; Moses 4:34).

9. Heavenly Fathers spirit children had to decide whether to follow Jesus or Lucifer.

10. One-third of Heavenly Fathers spirit children chose to follow Lucifer, and they were all cast out of heaven. Lucifer became Satan, and the spirits who followed him became evil spirits, who try to get us to do wrong things. These spirits who followed Satan did not receive physical bodies.

11. All the spirits who chose Heavenly Fathers plan and followed Jesus in the premortal life have been or will be born on earth with physical bodies of flesh and blood.

12. All the children in this classroom chose to follow Heavenly Fathers plan and have been born on earth with mortal bodies. ("Primary 7—New Testament", Lesson 2, 1997, LDS children's manual for ages 8-11.)

This doctrine was further explained in the June 1986 LDS magazine Ensign. The question was asked "How can Jesus and Lucifer be spirit brothers when their characters and purposes are so utterly opposed?" Jess L. Christensen, Institute of Religion director at Utah State University, Logan, Utah, responded:

On first hearing, the doctrine that Lucifer and our Lord, Jesus Christ, are brothers may seem surprising to some — especially to those unacquainted with latter-day revelations. But both the scriptures and the prophets affirm that Jesus Christ and Lucifer are indeed offspring of our Heavenly Father and, therefore, spirit brothers. Jesus Christ was with the Father from the beginning. Lucifer, too, was an angel who was in authority in the presence of God, a son of the morning. (See Isa. 14:12; D&C 76:25-27.) Both Jesus and Lucifer were strong leaders with great knowledge and influence. But as the Firstborn of the Father, Jesus was Lucifer's older brother. (See Col. 1:15; D&C 93:21.)

How could two such great spirits become so totally opposite? The answer lies in the principle of agency, which has existed from all eternity. (See D&C 93:30-31.) Of Lucifer, the scripture says that because of rebellion he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies. (Moses 4:4.) Note that he was not created evil, but became Satan by his own choice.

When our Father in Heaven presented his plan of salvation, Jesus sustained the plan and his part in it, giving the glory to God, to whom it properly belonged. Lucifer, on the other hand, sought power, honor, and glory only for himself. (See Isa. 14:13-14; Moses 4:1-2.) When his modification of the Fathers plan was rejected, he rebelled against God and was subsequently cast out of heaven with those who had sided with him. (See Rev. 12:7-9; D&C 29:36-37.)

That brothers would make dramatically different choices is not unusual. It has happened time and again, as the scriptures attest: Cain chose to serve Satan; Abel chose to serve God. (See Moses 5:16-18.) . . .

We can only imagine the sorrow of our Heavenly Father as he watched a loved son incite and lead a rebellion and lose his opportunity for exaltation. But we can also imagine the Fathers love and rejoicing as he welcomed back the beloved son who had valiantly and perfectly fought the battles of life and brought about the great Atonement through his suffering and death. ("I Have a Question," Ensign, June 1986, p. 25-26)

Apostle John A. Widtsoe explained:
The story of Lucifer is the most terrible example of such apostasy. ... He pitted his own plan and will against the purposes of God. He strove to gain the birthright of his Elder Brother, Jesus the Christ. When his proposition was rejected, he forsook all that he had gained, .... He was no longer Lucifer, bearer of truth, who walked in light, but Satan, teacher of untruth, who slunk in darkness. He became the enemy of God and of all who try to walk according to the Lord's commandments. One-third of the spirits present in that vast assembly supported Satan and became enemies of the truth that they had formerly cherished. With him these rebellious spirits lost their fellowship with the valiant sons of God. (Evidences and Reconciliations, p. 209)

Apostle Bruce R. McConkie stated:
God lives in the family unit. He is our Father in heaven—the literal and personal Father of the spirits of all men. He begat us; we are the offspring of Heavenly Parents: we have an Eternal Father and an Eternal Mother. We were born as spirits, and we dwelt in the presence of our Eternal Parents; we lived before our mortal birth. As spirits we were in all respects as we are now save only that we were not housed in mortal bodies as is the present circumstance. Christ was the Firstborn of all the heavenly host; Lucifer was a son of the morning: each of us came into being as conscious identities in our appointed order; and Christ is our Elder Brother. (The Mortal Messiah, vol. 1, p. 21)

President Spencer W. Kimball commented on the relationship of Lucifer to Jesus:
The importance of not accommodating temptation in the least degree is underlined by the Savior's example. Did not he recognize the danger when he was on the mountain with his fallen brother, Lucifer, being sorely tempted by that master tempter? He could have opened the door and flirted with danger by saying, "All right, Satan, I'll listen to your proposition. I need not succumb, I need not yield, I need not accept—but I'll listen." (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 163)

President Spencer W. Kimball also wrote:
Similarly Satan had contended for the subservience of Moses. Satan, also a son of God, had rebelled and had been cast out of heaven and not permitted an earthly body as had his brother Jehovah. Much depended upon the outcome of this spectacular duel. Could Lucifer control and dominate this prophet Moses, who had learned so much directly from his Lord? (Faith Precedes the Miracle, p. 87)

Apostle George Q. Cannon taught:
The adversary ... aims to destroy us. Angry that his plan was not adopted in the heavens; angry at his failure in the rebellion against God and at his expulsion from the courts of glory; angry at his being deprived of a body, he and those who fell with him have been eager ever since that dreadful time to destroy their brethren and sisters who did not rebel with them. We who are here tonight, as well as all who are upon the earth, kept our first estate. We did not listen to Lucifer. He was a mighty angel; he had exceedingly great power in the presence of God. He used his great influence with the family of God to convince them that the plan which he proposed was the better one, and to persuade them to reject the plan of God and his Son Jesus, our elder brother. Failing in this, he has, apparently, declared war against all his brethren and sisters who were honorable and maintained their allegiance to God. Therefore he is continually spreading snares for the feet of the children of men. (Collected Discourses, edited by Brian Stuy, vol. 1, May 19th, 1889, p. 255)

In 1949 Apostle Joseph F. Merrill stated:
Now there is another personality of which I desire to speak, ... that person is Satan, the Devil. But according to our understanding and teaching, Satan is a person with a spirit body, in form like that of all other men. He is a spirit brother of ours and of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our Elder Brother in the spirit world. The earth was in course of development for the abode of man in mortality. A Redeemer was to be sent down and make it possible for the Father's children to return to him. (LDS Conference Report, April 1949, p. 27)

Speaking in 1857, Apostle Joseph Young taught:
Who is it that is at the head of this? It is the Devil, the mighty Lucifer, the great prince of the angels, and the brother of Jesus. He left the province of his Father, and took with him a third part of his Father's kingdom, and there was no other alternative but to banish him. God would have saved him if he could; but he could not. (Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, pp. 207-208, October 11, 1857)

In 1844 LDS author W. W. Phelps wrote:
And again, we exclaim, O Mormonism! No wonder that Lucifer, son of the morning, the next heir to Jesus Christ, our eldest brother, should fight so hard against his brethren; he lost the glory, the honor, power, and dominion of a God and the knowledge, spirit, authority and keys of the priesthood of the son of God!
Christ kept his first estate—Lucifer lost his by offering to save men in their sins on the honor of a God, or on his father's honor.—Christ hated sin, and loved righteousness, therefore he was anointed with holy oil in heaven, and crowned in the midst of brothers and sisters, while his mother stood with approving virtue, and smiled upon a Son that kept the faith as the heir of all things. (Times and Seasons, vol. 5, p. 758, Jan. 1, 1844, art. by W. W. Phelps)

However, the Bible never presents Lucifer as the brother of Jesus. Angels were a separate creation from man.

No, I won't complain about my lack of power, heat, etc. for five days last week ...

I was able to drive around (into woods, along creek beds, and into severe mud), over (yes--to the sadness of the underbelly of my trusty Honda) and under (trees that formed "teepee's" over the road in the swirling winds as at least one hundred trees were blown directly onto Highway 109 (according to the newspapers, although I managed to get around only about forty) on my way to work last Monday Morning. The final tree (above) stopped me cold and the police wondered how I even got onto the road after I got back to where 109 and 115 (into Ocean Shores) converge. The problem was that they set up their emergency roadblock sometime after 6:00 a.m. when I entered onto what was a killer stretch of road in a killer windstorm.

It was a miserable cold and uncomfortable week without communications (telephones out and cell phone battery dead), power and heat for what turned out to be three hours less than exactly five 24-hour days.

But even so, the later ice storms that hit the west and Midwestern states made me feel seriously embarrassed by my complaints. Ice and ice storms that cover everything with ice scares me more than any other natural disaster--especially at my age.

See Why (below)?

Mike Huckabee: Same yesterday; same today; same tomorrow!

Yeh, it wasn't too cool for Mike to admit that he had doubts about evolution some weeks ago in a debate (he raised his hand when they were all asked who didn't accept evolution as taught in the current textbooks) and it's surely not cool to stand up for the unborn when abortion is a popular (and thriving) business among the "in" crowd. And as to whether Intelligent Design should or should not be taught in our schools ... well, you get the drift.

The fact that our concern for human life has dropped to the lowest point in the history of mankind or the scientific reality of irreducibly complex molecules (that simply could not have evolved from simpler molecules) is of no concern to the elite "in" crowd; it's what's convenient that seems to matter more.

I think that Governor Huckabee could create a really powerful movie called "The Really Inconvenient Truth" and send the box office receipts soaring ... but then, I'm a dreamer ....

Baby killers! Embryo and fetus killers! Mike Huckabee says "Bring'em on!"

Bring'em on!!!

If Mike Huckabee's rise in the polls tastes like a surge, smells like a surge and looks like a surge ...

... well, you better put your ear plugs on as the most affable and certainly the most genuine of the Republican candidiates steps forward and takes center stage!

A Newsweek poll out yesterday afternoon had the GOP race among likely Iowa caucus goers:

• Mike Huckabee: 39 percent
• Mitt Romney: 17
• Fred Thompson: 10
• Rudy Giuliani: 9
• Ron Paul: 8
• John McCain: 6

Need Mediawingnuts say more ...

And although some are upset that Governor Huckabee has suggested that the prayers of folks like myself and ... yes, some teensy little bit of Divine intervention might be involved, my thoughts today are

So what!!

If it were a race for First lady ...

Governor and Mrs. Mike Huckabee

... Versus the presumably more picturesque wives (average is second or third wife each, except for the Mormon, strangely enough!)

Four contenders ahead of Huckabee in the polls--with their current wives

Well, it does appear that the others have married beauty queens, at least after the first or second wife, don't you agree?