Libertarian Radio Network, Inc.

QUICKIE PP

2009-07-14T12:12:00.002-04:00

In 1895, JP Morgan would not make a loan to the government. He refused to make the loan because the government's debt exceeded its assets, and he thought it was a high-risk venture. I wonder what JP would think today?

Respectfully submitted,
Donald M. Heavrin,
Your economic advisor

(249) MICHAEL JACKSON -- PART IV & ED FREEMAN

2009-07-09T11:16:00.003-04:00

Michael Jackson was truly a man of the world. It was astounding the number of countries in which his Memorial Service was attended by way of live television and online.

While I am not interested in celebrity scandals as reported by the National Enquirer, et alli, I am fascinated by Michael Jackson because he was such a strange and complex individual. Before his death, he was a pariah, and, after his death, he has been restored to hero status. Of one thing I am certain, he is neither an Angel nor was he The Devil. It will probably take two years before we are able to make the final accounting. The paper also carried an editorial that said Michael had given over $300,000,000 to charity. Wow!

This morning in The Louisville Defender, it said, "Now we only have the music left." But the music may be enough because he was an amazing Composer and performer. When I saw that headline, I thought that all we have left of Elvis, Beethoven, and Mozart is the music. And the music has satisfied us for a number of years.

* * *

My friend, JFS, wrote to remind me that Ed Freeman had died. Several soldiers were wounded in the Drang Valley on November 14, 1965. The Infantry Command had ordered Medivac helicopters to stop coming in because the weapons fire was so intense. Then one of the wounded men looked up and saw an unarmed Huey dropping in the fusillade. The chopper picked up two or three wounded people and flew them out. Then he flew back again! He made 13 trips and rescued 30 wounded soldiers. He received the Congressional Medal of Honor. Ed died June 25, 2009 at the age of 80. What a great story of heroism.

Courage runs deep.

Respectfully submitted,
Donald M. Heavrin
Your Servant of Truth in the Universe of Life

(248) LIFE IS THE MOST FUN YOU'LL EVER HAVE

2009-07-07T12:29:00.004-04:00

Al Capone got married in the year 1918.

* * *

Owning an amusement park will not necessarily make you happy. According to Ayn Rand, the basis of happiness is self-esteem, and, if you do not think highly of yourself, you cannot be happy.

In the wave of Michael Jackson information that has engulfed us the past few days, I have developed a new respect for him. He took care of his children and, according to various stories, he was a great father who loved his kids. Meanwhile, his father, Joe Jackson, should be prosecuted for child abuse.

* * *

Here's to George Beurling, a Canadian pilot who was fearless in the air. So much so that his nickname was "Screwball". He was shot down and survived, he crashed in a transport plane that overran the runway and survived. After the war, he volunteered to fly for Israel and, while ferrying a B-25 to Israel, the airplane crashed and George Beurling was killed at age 26. His war record: he shot down 28 enemy aircraft.

* * *

And speaking of unsung heroes, we have just celebrated Independence Day, and Thomas Nelson, Jr., must be mentioned. He was an original signor of the Declaration of Independence. He borrowed $2,000,000 on his personal credit and donated it to the cause of the Patriots. When the war was over, the government never reimbursed him and repaying the loans wiped out his entire estate. He died bankrupt and is buried in an unmarked grave. Never fear--the government will take care of you.

Respectfully submitted,
Donald M. Heavrin
Your Servant of Truth in the Garden of Life

(247) THE IRON HORSE & MICHAEL JACKSON--PART III

2009-07-06T14:13:00.004-04:00

Saturday, July 4, 2009 marked the 70th Anniversary of the Iron Horse giving his oft-repeated speech at Yankee Stadium. The morning paper brought a great story about what he did after he retired from baseball. He went to work for the Department of Probation and Parole, and he worked diligently in that position. He would visit prisons, he would write up parole recommendations--and when he got to the point that he could not drive safely, his wife took him to work every day. He was extraordinarily happy that he had a job. Here's to the memory of the Iron Horse.

* * * * *

I have been listening to "Thriller" this weekend, and it is more powerful and vibrant than I had remembered it to be. I have enjoyed it, probably, more this time around than I did when I first listened to it.

My take on Michael Jackson is somewhat convoluted, but I do not believe that he intended to die, and I think that he was going to use the overdose and revival as an excuse to avoid the 50-city ("This Is It") Farewell Tour. I also learned this weekend that it started out to be a ten-city tour, and the agent, with or without Michael's knowledge, changed it to a 50-city Tour. That would be enough to intimidate a rock group that was in top physical condition. Here's to Michael, and a reminder, to myself and others, that having a lot of money does not lead to happiness.

Respectfully submitted,
Donald M. Heavrin
A Musician in the Garden of Life

(246) MICHAEL JACKSON REVISITED

2009-07-02T15:26:00.004-04:00

The morning show brought additional Michael Jackson information. The segment included a statement that the people who now own Neverland have taken care of Michael Jackson's dogs for the last five or six years. Who, pray tell, owns Neverland? I've heard that Michael Jackson still owned half of it, or it was sold to satisfy some of his debts and obligations. In any event, somebody, by now, should have discovered who owns Neverland.

Nothing was left in the house, and Michael Jackson said in an interview with Ed Bradley that he would never live there again because it had been soiled by the police who searched his property looking for evidence of sexual misconduct. What a nightmare. On a spiritual basis, I am completely on his side, and I think that he suffered at the hands of overzealous cops when opportunistic people stepped up to allege sexual abuse. I also think that he needed to stay well away from the fire once the first allegation was made. This is becoming another circus, much like Octomom. I feel sorry for Michael, there is nothing I can do to reverse his death, and I want to remember him from the Thriller album, instead of remembering him as a freak in a carnival.

* * *

Also of interest, Bernie Madoff got 150 years. The Sentencing Guideline Commission recommended 50 years. Since he is 75 years old, 50 should have been enough, but it was an opportunity for a Judge to grandstand and get a round of applause from people who had lost money, and were sitting in the Courtroom. A friend of mine, who is somewhat conservative, said that they should take him out and shoot him. I quietly asked, 'What about the SEC that let him get away with this fraudulent conduct for years?' And they let him get away after they had been given notice by reliable actuaries working for other companies that his investments were part of a Ponzi scheme.

(245) MICHAEL JACKSON REPORT

2009-07-01T12:23:00.004-04:00

I was saddened by the death of Michael Jackson. However, he had gotten so bizarre in the last few years that I referred to him as The Man Who, Literally, Cut His Nose Off to Spite His Face. I have never seen such an atrocity, and I wondered what the poor fellow was thinking. He was also proof that having a lot of money does not make you happy or content. In fact, money and fame, can be an astonishing burden. Also, he was proof that as the twig is bent, so grows the tree. His dad, Joe Jackson, from what I can tell, is the scum of the Earth.

The morning paper carried a story reporting that Michael Jackson was making $11,000,000 a year in royalties on the deal with Sony. His music was exciting, he was strange. He circulated photographs to tabloid papers which indicated he slept in a hyperbaric chamber to stay healthy--it didn't work. He conferred with various gurus--it didn't work. He planned a 50-show tour--it didn't work. Still, he left a legacy of great music and three children.

Life is short. Go for it!

Respectfully submitted,
Donald M. Heavrin
Your Servant in the Garden of Life

(244) TO ED McMAHON

2009-06-26T14:54:00.002-04:00

I will consider Michael Jackson next week. It's going to take a few days for me to gather my thoughts. However, I have Ed McMahon in full focus, and I want to comment on one of his comments. In an interview several years ago, commenting on the Tonight Show, he said that, in the twinkling of an eye, 30 years had gone by. I say the same thing, in the twinkling of an eye, 35 years of practicing law have gone by. The moral, which I often repeat, is: 'There is no tomorrow. Do it now.' Have some fun today. Don't wait. Go to boot camp. Drink some wine. Watch some meaningless television. Listen to music, make love, and read.

Respectfully submitted,
Donald M. Heavrin
Your Servant in the
Garden of Pleasure

(243) HEALTH CARE

2009-06-25T15:25:00.003-04:00

Why can’t these brain dead people in Washington, D. C. allow all citizens to deduct from their taxes the costs of medical care, prescriptions, health insurance, et cetera, then step back and see how it works? We hear the cries about people being uninsured. No one ever considers giving the folks who work hard to pay for their own health care a benefit. That would reduce the size of the government, so it is contrary to the idea that bigger government is better government, therefore it is not going to happen.

Respectfully submitted,
Donald M. Heavrin,
Your Servant of Truth
in the Garden of Life

(242) BOB CATO, ONE YEAR LATER

2009-06-25T15:21:00.003-04:00

My friend, Bob Cato, died on July 12, 2008.

There are so many Bob Cato stories that I could fill a book. In fact, I have dedicated part of a book to our adventures together. Unfortunately some of the ventures cannot be mentioned because the statute of limitations has not run. However, this is one for the books, and it is benign. I may be repeating it; if I have, forgive me. I haven’t gone back and read every blog to make certain that this is not repetitious.

Bob was sitting on the front porch of a friend's house with Warren Scovell when a sheriff arrived with a summons/warrant for the friend who occupied the house. What was the problem? The problem: the friend allowed his cow to run free, and the cow had found its way into the neighbor’s garden, which was about a hundred yards from where Bob and the others were sitting, and the cow was munching down the neighbor’s crops. The cow had been doing this on a regular basis, and finally the neighbor took a warrant because the cow was out of control, running free and eating his crop. According to Warren Scovell,Bob asked the sheriff what this was about, and he said, "I have a summons for the owner of the house." Bob said, "Would you read it to me?" The sheriff complied and read the Summons and the Complaint to Bob. Bob said, "You’re reading that to the wrong person. You should read that to the cow that’s over there in the garden eating the man’s crops." Somehow this made sense to the sheriff, who dutifully traversed the distance and read the summons to the cow. Cato, Scovell and the friend who owned the house had a hard time repressing their laughter until the sheriff left.

What was the outcome? It must have worked because no one can remember the cow eating in the neighbor’s garden again. So while Bob and the others enjoyed a good laugh, in the end the sheriff reading the summons to the cow worked.

Respectfully submitted,
Donald M. Heavrin,
Your Servant of Truth
in the Garden of Life

(241) MORE THINGS IN HEAVEN AND EARTH

2009-06-24T15:00:00.003-04:00

There are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamed of in my philosophies. The morning paper brought the news that Federal money for prisons could be rescinded if states did not adopt measures to reduce sexual violence in correctional and detention facilities. The National Prison Rape Elimination Commission issued an extensive report, five years in the making (what happened to the people who were raped in the meantime?), recommending that jails and prisons take steps to reduce rapes behind bars, including adoption of zero tolerance policies and better staff training.

First, I’ve never heard of the NPREC. Second, we have too many people in prison anyway, so let’s open the doors and let about half of the people who are imprisoned out. This will cause astonishing complaints from the right wing looneys, but they need something to complain about. Third, let’s start firing guards and wardens who are allowing rapes to occur in prisons. Fourth, according to the article, states will be notified of the finalized standards and then have a year to adopt them. (That begs the question of what happens to the victims during the next year?) And finally, if they don’t adopt new standards, they will lose 5% of their federal prison grants, but still receive 95% of their federal prison grant money. The feds can’t stand the states running anything on their own.

Also, I notice that Obama has issued a stronger warning to Iran. This is fascinating because it actually drew faint praise from some of the right wing senators. But I’m curious about what anyone expects a strongly worded letter to accomplish. While I believe we should only fight wars when they are absolutely necessary, I am from the Athena school of war. The goddess, Athena, among a number of attributes, was the Goddess of Prudent Warfare. We haven’t had a prudent war in over 60 years. I’m all in favor of putting the Air Force in the air, armed with smart bombs to negate Iran's nuclear facilities. Then we should sit back and let these folks kill each other. We should follow a similar program in North Korea and do some indiscriminate carpet bombing in Afghanistan.

Am I becoming more right-wing by the day?

Respectfully submitted,
Donald M. Heavrin,
Your Servant of Truth

(240) IRAN REVISITED

2009-06-22T13:59:00.004-04:00

I have been watching, with great interest, the turmoil in Iran. First things first: the people who are aggrieved are supporting the opposition party, but no one has bothered to tell me what they are opposed to. This is equivalent to Obama running on a change platform. There is nothing changed except we are teetering on a war in Pakistan and a war with North Korea, and we are multiple trillions of dollars in debt which can never be repaid. He is also talking about a tax increase and trillions more for his grand scheme on medical insurance. I said two years ago that if he spent the trillions of dollars spent on war were spent on prescriptions instead, everyone in the United States could have free prescriptions. But war is far more important than medical care.

Now back to Iran: it doesn't make any difference who wins the election, the Ayatollah can veto anything the elected President wants to do. And, what about the opposition? The opposing candidate believes we should bomb England, the United States, and Israel. He is a hardliner from the word go, and the only change that is in store is he doesn't want to force women to wear burqas if they don't want to. There is no meaningful opposition.

* * *

I was reviewing my Rolodex, adding to and taking out numbers that are no longer viable. When I got to my friend, Bob Cato, who died last year, I could not take his name out of my Rolodex. Although I attended the funeral, I cannot believe that he is dead.

Health and prosperity,
Donald M. Heavrin

(239) REGARDING IRAQ & IRAN

2009-06-18T16:07:00.003-04:00

I knew that Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio voted against authorizing the military action in Iraq. Last night I learned that Mike Gravel, also a Congressman, had also voted against it.

On the issue of Iran, which seems to be enjoying a lot of internal unrest over two candidates who are virtually identical from a philosophic perspective, the new kid on the block promised change, tax reform, contract with America, eliminate your civil rights--woops! I'm not sure that that is Iran--it sounds a whole lot like the United States! But speaking of Iran, in 1953, it had the duly-elected President Muhammad Mossadegh. For reasons that were not stated in the article I read, the United States did not like him and engineered his removal from office. In his place, we installed the brutally tyrannous Shah of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, who was in charge until his people overthrew him and replaced him with Ayatollah Khomeini. Some Iranian politician said the United States was, again, trying to superimpose its will on Iran and meddle in Iranian affairs. What? That is amazing. The USA meddling in foreign affairs and seeking the overthrow of leaders in other countries? What a ridiculous concept.

Respectfully submitted,
Donald M. Heavrin
Your servant of truth in the garden of politics

(238) SORRY TO SAY!

2009-06-15T12:21:00.006-04:00

Sorry to say that I was right. Ringo won the election in Iran. It is hard to imagine Ringo losing in a country where the Beatles are so popular.

We are monitoring reports of irregularities. What does that mean? What if we found out there was wholesale fraud and Ringo stole the election? Are we going to write a strongly-worded letter? Ringo won by such a wide margin that hundreds of people had to be involved in the conspiracy to get Ringo elected and, by now, someone would have surfaced to describe the irregularities.

Now, it is time to bomb his bomb-making facility and go home.

* * *

With the approval of every politician in sight, the government rushed to put tobacco under the control of the FDA. Now there is an idea that only a fool could support. At the moment, because of the depth of the bureaucracy, beneficial drugs are held up for years. In contrast, after years of research, dangerous drugs still get into the market. Now, we have an increase in the size of the already stagnant bureaucracy, creating additional job security for paper shufflers. I do not smoke, but I think if someone wants to smoke, that is an individual choice, and the government should stay on the sidelines.

Obama is as dangerous as Bush. He has his own agenda that is not unlike George W. Bush's agenda. We still have at least two wars going on, a lunatic in North Korea, suicide bombers in Pakistan and Iraq, and breath-taking deficits.

Obama is proceeding with health-care reform. That means one other aspect of our lives, which was once an individual choice, will now rest in the hands of the government.

Respectfully submitted,
Donald M. Heavrin
Your election moderator

(237) IRANIAN ELECTIONS

2009-06-12T16:42:00.004-04:00

Today, the Iranians are holding an election. I predict that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will win. Crazies always ascend to the throne. In fact, there are usually thousands of crazies vying for the position, and the one who ultimately prevails proves the doctrine of survival of the UNfittest.

Also, how can a Reformist defeat someone who looks like Ringo Starr? Name and face recognition are unstoppable when there is an election. On one of the morning shows, a woman wearing a head-scarf said she was voting for Ringo. Why? "Because he has given us everything we need." Operative phrase: "give". The Muslims are as out-of-it as we are.

Also, a few days ago, an 88-year-old white supremacist shot up the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC and killed a guard. His Website was full of vitriolic hatred. At the same time I heard about the nutcase shooting up the Holocaust Museum, I was reading one of PJ O'Rourke's books. In it, he observes that the glue that holds all of these fringe organizations together, e.g. Christianity, Islam, Black Panthers, White Panthers, Ku Klux Klan, House of Representatives, Senate, et cetera, are all bound together by hatred. O'Rourke observes that he does not want to belong to any group where there is universal agreement.

Respectfully submitted,
Donald M. Heavrin
Your servant of truth

(236) DONNA & THE VA HOSPITAL

2009-06-05T14:51:00.004-04:00

In response to my story about Rex as a volunteer at the VA Hospital, my friend, Donna Delight, writes that several years ago, she wanted to do something to help the ever-growing list of Veterans who were hospitalized. She is a Dietitian and thought she could help.

It took her over a month to get an appointment! Then she was grilled about why she wanted to be a volunteer. Then she was told that she had to take two tuberculosis screenings. She knew that was ridiculous because she had worked in medical facilities all of her life. One test will do the trick. However, she sucked it up and did it for the cause. Then, when she was scheduled to start her job, she was called and told she had to get fingerprinted before she could start working as a volunteer.

At that point in time, she said, 'Screw it,' and went to University Hospital, who jumped on the chance to have a volunteer who was a Dietitian. After one orientation class, she started working in the emergency room and the maternity ward. She was treated with respect and appreciation--and, as she said, 'I also got free food and parking.'

None of this surprises me because the Veterans' Administration is closer to being a pure bureaucracy than University Hospital. Government is everywhere. Any time there is any proposal by government, it involves increasing the bureaucracy.

In this morning's paper, I noted that one of our Senators is protesting the FDA taking over the tobacco industry. Even though I do not smoke, I am on his side. Taking over the tobacco industry means nothing except a larger, inefficient, and stupid bureaucracy. What we need is more stupid bureaucrats controlling every aspect of the human experience. Is this ever going to go away? Regrettably, no.

Respectfully submitted,
Donald M. Heavrin
Your humble servant

(235) IN MEMORY OF ROBLEY REX

2009-06-02T12:01:00.003-04:00

Robley Rex enlisted in the Army in May 1919 and, after he was discharged in the 20's, he became an ordained Methodist Minister and also worked as a railway postal Clerk.

At the age of 82, he decided he was still able to help his country, and he became a volunteer at the Veterans' Hospital, where he delivered medical records, mail, and snacks to patients. He encouraged everyone and spent a lot of time with the patients who did not have many visitors. Our Congressman, John Yarmuth, said that Rex was a true American hero and he was. When he was too old to drive, a friend of his, Bob Keller, drove Rex to the Hospital and to Veterans' functions. Over the years, he logged more than 150,000 miles driving Rex around. According to our former Congressman, Rom Mazzoli: he exuded remarkable warmth and had a tenacious memory!

He died April 28, 2009 at the VA Medical Center in Louisville--four days before his 108th birthday.

Respectfully submitted,
Donald M. Heavrin
A chronicler of heroism

MEMORIAL DAY 09

2009-05-28T16:06:00.002-04:00

“On fame’s eternal camping ground their silent tents are spread and glory guards with solemn round the bivouac of the dead.” (Theodore O’Hara, “Bivouac of the Dead”).

A story on Sunday Morning (CBS) brought tears to my eyes. There was a tour of Arlington Cemetery where there were over 200,000 flags placed on the graves of the fallen. I appreciate those who have served, and I think it is important for us to remember. In scanning the cemetery, the camera stopped at a gravestone. The name on the stone: “Unknown.” I was chilled to the core.

The old and feeble men/women walked in a halting manner, carrying a flag and a bugle. When they stopped at the Veterans Cemetery, they were unknown, but, when they sounded the horn, I knew them.

Andy Rooney of 60 Minutes spoke in memory about his friends who died in WW II. He remembers them every day and not just on Memorial Day. His proposal was to end war and celebrate a ‘peace day.’ What a wonderful idea.

No man can resist the temptation of being able to steal and kill at will if he was certain he could get away with it (Plato, The Republic, found in the myth of Gyges). If Plato was right, and I fear that he is, we will never have peace.

When I see a military cemetery, I wonder where we would be today if we had not lost all of those lives. How many inventions and medical discoveries are buried with these soldiers?

In keeping with my self-imposed ritual, I visited Cave Hill Cemetery. Flags were placed on the graves of the honored dead. Old glory marks most of the graves, but the confederate dead are also honored. Many of the stones only have a number. No one knows who is buried there.

I frequently stop at 2306 and contemplate who he may have been and what was lost by the death of this unknown soldier.

There are dozens of markers with only a number. Others will have to help me contemplate the others unknown. There is much to think about but very little time. Some of the graves of officers have more impressive markers. When I see an impressive marker in a military cemetery, Thomas Gray is always with me.

Can storied urn or animated bust
Back to its mansion call the fleeting breath?
(Thomas Gray, “Elegy Written in a Country Church Yard”)

No, the storied urn cannot give the occupant of the grave one additional breath and, like 2306, the officer was lost before his time.

In deep sorrow and respect
I remain,

Don Heavrin
Your servant of truth in the Garden of Life.

(234) IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS

2009-05-21T12:00:00.005-04:00

The news carried the alarming story that children 5-years-of-age and younger had been accused of being Witches. As a result of the accusation, their families had cast them out. However, for a fee, the high priest/soothsayer will perform an exorcism and purge the child of witchery.

Poor children! My heart goes out to them--but I also mourn for the rest of society because these idiots can vote and, regrettably, their vote counts as much as ours.

* * *

Michael Vick was released from prision after serving 19 months. Dog fighting is despicable, and I have no sympathy for anyone who is sponsoring dog fighting. However, I note the media has been scarcely silent about Michael Vick's crime. While he should be put in prison for causing the slaughter of dogs, that despicable act was not a federal crime, and the Feds desperately wanted a piece of his hide. Therefore, he was charged with Gambling--which is almost as despicable as dog fighting. It harkens back to the Third Reich, which had a policy: if you want to arrest someone and you could not find anything on the books outlawing the conduct, then make something up or charge them under the next-nearest statute. It is also reminiscent of 'blog #230, where I noted that A-Rod was accused of visiting illegal poker venues.

The federal government is completely out of control, and I fear that we are nearing the end of civilization. I have always been conservative in my estimate, but I think within the next 100 years, it will all be academic. However, if the rate of exchange increases, then we could be out of business within the next ten years.

Trusting you to keep the faith, I remain,
Sincerely yours,
Donald M. Heavrin

(233) THE RADIO & HEALTHCARE

2009-05-19T13:27:00.004-04:00

The radio was invented by Nathan B. Stubblefield of Murray, Kentucky, in 1892, which was three years before Marconi made his claim to the invention. According to my reading and urban legend, Stubblefield was so disgruntled that he did not reveal the way any subsequent inventions worked after Marconi was given credit for inventing the radio. Among the inventions that have been lost for all time was a device that enabled him to light his home with electricity generated by the rotation of the Earth. He put on a public demonstration in which he inserted a rod in the ground and the lights would go on in his house. After he performed this feat several times, he was asked what was the underlying premise that caused this invention to work, and he refused to tell them for fear it would be stolen. He subsequently froze (or starved) to death in a cabin that did not have any heat. On Murray State University campus, there is a monument at the place where Nathan Stubblefield's home was located. The really sad thing is that virtually no student has a clue as to who he was and what he did.

* * *

My doctor told me that if I would go to Kroger, I could get my PBMXOQ prescription filled $30 cheaper than CVS was charging me. Desperately needing to save $30, I went to Kroger. I had to fill out a cumbersome form and, upon its completion, they handed me a document which describes the privacy practices of Kroger. It seems that they will only give my health information when one or more of the following request it:
For treatment;
Payment;
Health care operations;
Central fill prescriptions;
Health related communications;
Communications with individuals involved in your care or payment for your care;
Business associates;
Food and Drug Administration;
Public Health;
Health oversight activities;
Worker's Compensation;
Law enforcement;
Judicial and administrative proceedings;
As required by law (what the Hell does that mean?).

Next, Kroger can disclose for certain other purposes:
Research;
Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors;
Organ or tissue procurement organizations;
Correctional institutions;
To avert a serious threat to pubic health or safety;
Victims of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence;
Military and Veterans;
National security and intelligence activities;
Protective services for the President and others;

Thank God for privacy!

Respectfully submitted,
Donald M. Heavrin,
Your servant of Truth

QUICKIE OO

2009-05-18T13:30:00.001-04:00

Here's to Winston.

"We shall defend every village, every town, and every city. The vast mass of London itself, fought street by street, could easily devour an entire hostile army; and we would rather see London laid in ruins and ashes than that it should be tamely and abjectly enslaved."
--Winston Churchill (1940

(232) BOOBS ARE WONDERFUL!

2009-05-15T16:33:00.003-04:00

Thank God for small favors. The news, lately, has been inundated with stories about Miss California's breasts. The brouhaha started when she said marriage should be between a man and a woman. The same-sex communities went up the wall--can you say 'up' when you're speaking about gays? And what, pray tell, would the Christian community do if she said, 'I think marriage should be between same-sex partners'?

After exercising her First Amendment privilege, some photographs popped up of her exposing her back and breasts. Ho hum. Then she explained, 'The wind did it.' One of the Pageant Directors resigned because Miss California did not accept responsibility. Who cares? And why should we thank God? Answer: she pushed Octo-mom off the nightly news, which had been making me crazy as a loon.

The news media only publishes what the public wants. We are in at least two wars, we're hopelessly in debt, and the government is fixing to force a medical program on us that will guarantee that no one gets any medical care, and the cost will bankrupt the country--if it is not already there--within three years.

Meanwhile, at the grocery store, one of the scandal magazines carried a story that Kirstie Alley had gained 87 pounds. Do I really care how much weight she gained? Is that an item that is news worthy? The people who are fascinated by this stuff need help. Perhaps, that includes me because I am writing about it!

Sincerely yours,
Donald M. Heavrin,
Confused in the Garden of Life

(231) TESLA & THE OLDEST PROFESSION

2009-05-14T16:35:00.005-04:00

Nikola Tesla, who discovered Alternating Current (AC), which can be stepped-up safely as it traverses across great distances, versus Direct Current (DC) that has to be forced through the wires across the countryside, opened the door for practical use of electricity in homes. He also invented the Tesla Coil and hundreds of other significant inventions. He worked for Thomas Edison and quit when Edison refused to give him a $5 a week raise. George Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla were commissioned to light the Chicago World's Fair in 1893, and Edison refused to let them use his lightbulbs, so they had to invent their own. The Exposition was the largest event, up to that time, lighted by artificial light. Edison, in a desperate effort to prove that DC was superior, went around the country electrocuting elephants with AC, thus proving that most geniuses are mad.

* * *

The news media has gone nuts with the Craigslist murders. Someone noted that prostitutes are advertising on Craigslist. The people who oppose prostitution say that the word, 'massage', is a code word for getting laid for money. I have never been interested in prostitutes--the whole concept is kind of weird and disgusting--but if that is your bag in life, then go for it. If you oppose prostitution, don't sell yourself, or don't pay for sex. Stop worrying about what other people do. Prostitution is the oldest profession, and there is a reason for it. People like it. Apparently, it is a valuable public service. So those who are opposed should shut up and crawl back into their religious dogma.

I saw a bumpersticker this weekend that said: "If you won't pray in my school, I won't think in your church." That about sums it up.

Respectfully submittted,
Donald M. Heavrin,
A denizen of Garden of Life

QUICKIE NN

2009-05-13T14:30:00.011-04:00

Friendships are in a constant state of decline and must be maintained if they are to last.
--Donald M. Heavrin (1970)

Sin has a price: it is $4.79 at Wal-Mart and $5.35 at Target--you get to pick.

Redemption comes at a high price--if at all.

(230) A-ROD CONSORTS WITH STRIPPERS

2009-05-04T14:33:00.003-04:00

The morning paper reviewed a book about A-Rod and states that A-Rod started using steroids when he was in high school because he wanted to be a super-athlete, not just good, but elite. As you know, I am not too excited about steroids--if someone wants to mess themselves up, that is an individual decision. The alarming part of the story was that, after he succeeded, he started consorting with strippers and attended swinger clubs. If that was not bad enough, the book also alleges he visited illegal poker venues.

What the hell is an illegal poker venue? I assume it is one that is not approved by the government. We live in the most bizarre world. There are more rules in the United States than in any Communist, Fascist, or Dictatorialship in the history of civilization, or uncivilization, depending on how you look at it.

Respectfully submitted,
Donald M. Heavrin,
A proponent of illegal poker venues

QUICKIE MM

2009-04-30T12:55:00.003-04:00

By the time you realize that time is flying--it is already too late.
--Observation of Donald M. Heavrin, Friday, August 8, 2003