Various

Character

The best index to a person's character is (a) how he treats people who can't do him any good and (b) how he treats people who can't fight back. - Abigail Van Buren

If you don't have enemies, you don't have character. - Paul Newman

It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. - The Apostle Peter

I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? - Jesus of Nazareth


Health Care Reform

There are plenty of people on all sides of the issue expressing a variety of opinions, but one thing in particular has grabbed my attention. One "side" seems to be using fear as a primary tactic, and there may indeed be things in some of the proposed bills to be afraid of. However, one of their principal arguments is that health care reform will be bad for senior citizens. They go on and on about "death panels" and cuts in services... none of which actually seems to be part of any of the proposed bills. Well, I did a little checking. We have one organization in our country that has advocated for the interests of seniors for decades... over 50 years to be exact: The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). They have some good articles on their site. It is most interesting to me that this organization, which has a progressive leaning but nevertheless goes to great lengths to remain politically impartial, both supports the idea of health care reform and many of the proposed specifics before congress. There are other very vocal organizations that purport to represent the interests of seniors who stand firmly against any health care reform... these are the ones using the fear tactics. The Senior Coalition, United Seniors Association and USA Next are three of these. They've been around since the early 90's and are basically funded directly or indirectly by the pharmaceutical industry. You can click around and read about them here. Now, you tell me which side is more likely blowing smoke.


Grand Kids

This is now the pic on my Ipod touch. :-)