Here's A Poser!

I was challenged in a book I was reading to answer this question.


"What one word sentence inscription would you like to see on your tombstone that would capture who you really were in life?"

I love a challenge that inspires thought! So I set my mind to find an acceptable answer. The first draft was, "a great father, friend, and one who made a difference." Then I had second thoughts. It seemed a little arrogant, but still had what I wanted to leave this world known as. So I sat back and pondered a little more. Being a man a few words, I needed a more concise answer that would embody all of those principles, exude humility, and make people not only think, but remember. So the answer came through loud and clear! The phrase I'd like to be remembered for, is exactly what I'd like God above to say when we meet at the doors to eternity.

"A good and faithful servant!"

So now I've taken the good one, it's your turn to define your dash here on earth! How would you like for people to remember you? What is the message you'd like to leave behind? What is your legacy?

Ponder that for a while. I believe it's important to know what our life goal is, so we can design a pathway to live up to our self described accolade. Set a standard for yourself! With a life goal in mind, you can check and adjust your progress to ensure your aim is true. Once that mission statement is announced, you have a standard to measure your actions against. I can now ask myself, if I do this does it bring me closer, or further away from being "a good and faithful servant?" Is it the description of an action of "a good and faithful servant?" It's exactly like the bumpers they use on a bowling alley when the inexperienced bowl. It keeps you out of the gutter!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

You Bet Your Sweet Bippy I Built That!

Welcome from Milwaukee, Wisconsin! Yesterday was a long travel day, capped off with inspiring speeches at the Life Leadership Convention. One of the most captivating minds in our organization is Oliver DeMille and he punctuated that last night with an invigorating talk aligning the need for us to find the genius hidden within our culture, and it's application in the fight to maintain our freedom. No truer words have ever been spoken.


We've become a society "glazed" over by complacency, and compliance. Our creative genius has been quashed by the conformity of conveyor belt education, and the daily grind of mindless tasks. Look at the blank stares of those walking our streets, the youth who can't wait to get through the interferences that separate them from their entertainment fix, verses the excitement and creativity of a preschool playtime atmosphere. We're so caught up in surviving and our daily routine, we have no time or will to deal with the important. We are apathetic to the erosion of freedom that threatens our existence. Our genius has been robbed from us.

A quick reality check on our part reaffirms that something just isn't right, but we feel helpless as an army of one. Would it be comfort to know that you are not alone? That there is a movement on the assault of your freedom, and a fight to reassign complacency and apathy to those who accept tyranny. I see the spark of genius twinkle in your eyes. I know we are a people who value our freedoms, and will oppose those who wish to have us behave and accept the fate of the ruled. We enjoy the sweet taste of freedom,and yearn to apply the genius God granted us to enhance His gift. And with the knowledge that this freedom of expression only happens by the will of God, reaffirmed by this Biblical edict.....

"For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God."- Hebrews 3:4

No longer will the ruling class claim responsibility for our alliance with God and purpose. No longer will we sit in a daze as if covered in a "glaze" of indifference. We have a will and imagination. We have a mandate from our Creator, to wash the glaze from our brother's eyes, and point him in the direction of freedom. Freedom begins with the unleashing of your imagination and creativity. Robots perform tasks, animals do tricks, people innovate, design, and use their imagination to unlock their potential. This is how we create a free society, from the ashes of the destruction caused by compliance, apathy, and indifference!

Come fulfill your purpose, come be a part of LIFE!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

It Wasn't Suppose To Be Like This!

The House of Representatives has passed a Ron Paul sponsored bill, calling for the public audit of the Federal Reserve system. The timing is interesting as I was just having a discussion about the Fed the other day with someone I deeply respect and they were relaying a conversation they had with their parents about just this topic. The gist of the conversation boiled down to the observation that not only didn't their parents know anything about the Fed, most of America is also in the dark on this subject. The potential exposure and understanding of the Federal Reserve system as this bill is designed to do, will enlighten the public about whom controls our money supply, and how corrupt that process is. If ever our President was to embark on a mission of economic justice, this would be an outstanding place to begin his journey.


 The process to bring this bill to fruition leads it through the Senate, which is currently under the control of the liberal democrats, it's not likely to see the light of day. Which leads me to my point of this post. The reason the political system in Washington has become so grid locked is the process designed by the founders has been bastardized by the 17 TH amendment. Originally the Senators were to be appointed by the states, not voted into office, and subject to recall if they didn't vote in accordance with their state's will. So they were beholden to the state that sent them to office, not the will of a political party. Here's why this is important.

If you took exception to some activity in Washington, it would be easier for the individual to travel to, and express their opinion to the state capitol. This was not only important then, but it still is pertinent today. Say you were a citizen of New Hampshire back in the 1800's. Travel to the Nation's Capitol would be very time consuming and expensive, yet to simply go to your State Capitol and speak to your local representative would be a more practical endeavor. Same applies today. If you live in the state of Washington, plane fare to DC could be outside the average citizen's budget, yet you could voice your opinion to state representatives, and they could enlighten the Senators of their states as to how the constituentcy feels about every issue. It brings the federal government closer to the people. It beats calling Washington DC and getting the answering machine of your representative.

Senators today vote the will of the party. The reason for this is, the party holds the funding for their reelection bid hostage for their votes.

 "If you don't vote along party lines, I'm not so sure we can see our way clear to fund your reelection bid!"

 But when they were appointed by the state they represent, they were held accountable by the state officials, who were held accountable by the local voters. They currently give their allegiance to the party they represent because even the most loved politician would be defeated by another better financed opponent, especially if that opponent was offered by the Senator's own party. It's all a high stakes game of blackmail, and we the people, lose.

Our original design, the one our forefathers began this country on, was a well thought out plan designed to keep the power in the hands of the states, and within the grasp of the citizen. The greed driven by the need for power has slaughtered that design, and shifted the control to the party elite. If a politician decides to go rogue, they reign them in with threats of running an opponent, and defunding their campaign. This is why Washington has reached a gridlock.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

Culturally Crazy!

I had an interesting point of view brought to me by a gentleman in Africa that opened my eyes to how the rest of the world sees our tragedies. It's always good to understand the perception of people who don't share your culture or environment, because we are not the only society on earth, and how others perceive our culture speaks volumes to how they react. So their take on the recent violence in Colorado goes like this....


"When an Arab commits mass murder, he's called a terrorist. When a black man commits mass murder he's considered a thug. When a white man commits mass murder he's considered insane."

He brings to light a great point. What clear thinking individual involves themselves in mass homicide? It takes some level of distorted thinking to rationalize that thought process to a point where it's an acceptable action. Wether that distortion is brought on by religious indoctrination, sociological conditions, or a major short circuit in the behavior process they all share the same issue. Somehow the Arab, Black Man, or White man was driven to this act of violence through irrational thought. The label we apply to the individual because of their race is simply society's way of defining that method of insanity. Actually it's our culture's way of offering an excuse for their behavior. The Arab's insanity is justified by his religious indoctrination. the Black Man is a victim of his economic culture and social conditions, and the White Man has no excuse other than his thought process was defunct. In reality, they are all the victim of irrational behavior brought on by some means of thought that allowed them to justify those actions.

No matter how you label their excuse, they need to be removed from society because they have proven they cannot function responsibly around others.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

Have You Ever Wondered?

You have to wonder if those in power ever stash the idealism they espouse and look at the facts. I can understand the difficulty in finding the truth, as it never seems to appear without uncovering layers of ideology and misrepresentation; but if your going to take a stand and put yourself on the front lines, should you go well armed with statistics? (Pardon the pun). For instance...


Since the start of 2012, the death count in Chicago is 274. In seven months, the death count in Chicago, 274, that's 22.8 people slaughtered a month, or almost 1 a day. They have some of the strictest gun laws in the country, just as they do in Colorado, where there has been more instances of mass murder in concealed weapon banned cities than anywhere in the country.

Now I'm certain politicians have to be aware of this information. They also know that despite the lack of availability of guns to inhabitants of England, crime hasn't dipped. So why do they bury their heads in the sand and deny the facts? Criminals don't obey gun laws, and gun laws don't deter crime! Yet there are those that vocalize their opinions seeking the disarming of America.

In a similar instance, job growth throughout the nation has been sparse at best. The limited growth we have seen has come from states with Governors who lean conservative. In the past 12 months, states with GOP Governors have added 1.4 million jobs. More than 60% of the nation's growth. Wouldn't one concerned about getting America back to work, investigate what policies are driving that growth? Instead we are subject to insults insinuating that the successful had little to do with their prosperity. If the government provides the formula to make us prosper, why aren't we all successful? They apparently believe they have the key to success, so doesn't everyone benefit if we all blossom? This avenue of thought runs contradictory to the results the government's war on poverty has reaped. But with those facts in hand, our President stands before the nation and not only accepts credit for the job growth, but implies that those who excel in business did so only by the grace of government intervention.

So if we look at the facts, gun control legislation enhances horrific gun crime, and government policies impede business growth. That's reality! I'll bet we can apply this to other areas of government involvement. Do you think that's the reason the founders based our nation on a principle of "limited government?"

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

And It All Comes Tumbling down!

"I think that the right might worry a bit more about the dangers of sectarianism. Whatever we once were, we're no longer just a Christian nation; we are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers. We should acknowledge this and realize that when we're formulating policies from the state house to the Senate floor to the White House, we've got to work to translate our reasoning into values that are accessible to everyone of our citizens, not just members of our own faith community." -Barack Obama


This is an interesting quote from a very confused man. Right off the bat, without tearing into this I see that he misses that this nation was founded on Judeo-Christian principles; or does he just ignore that? Our laws are founded upon the Ten Commandments, the Judeo-Christian principle. We don't use Sharia law, nor was our original document based on the Ten Precepts of Buddhism/Hinduism, although those are close to the Ten Commandments. The code for Atheists is set of man concocted objectives designed to prevent the spread of organized religion, and while we are a nation that believes in religious freedom, it's based and founded upon the Ten Commandments. We do have to recognize Atheism as a religion despite the claim of the opposite, as it's simply man worshiping himself. Where man assigns the rule by which mankind lives. Personally, I understand there is no perfect man, so this model, by definition can't be perfect and it's reflected in the advertised code they use to replace the Ten Commandments.

So where am I going with this? As reflected by the public statement our current President made, he doesn't understand the values, nor the history of the founding of this great nation. So it's not a wonder that he struggles to defend the principles that drive and define our values. We are tolerant of others wishes to worship as they see fit, it never says we have to alter our laws to theirs. We've tried that, here are some of the results...

We eliminated these principles to accommodate others who wish to destroy Christianity in America.

Removed religious symbols from the public square, prayer from schools, creation from the public schools, the Ten Commandments from public display. They've also tried to remove God from the pledge, and Christ from Christmas,.

The results have been..

School violence like never before, the demise of the traditional family, the redefinition of the traditional marriage, abortion, a rise in suicide rates, gang violence, rape, incest, child abuse, rape, and pornography. The list is exhausting, and like no other time in America's history. When does this country learn math and put two and two together? Well that's a poser as we keep electing those who don't understand our foundation and therefore can't possibly be expected to protect it. When they do turn to the Bible or Christianity, it's a perverted version because once again they don't understand the foundation, or have altered it. Does anyone else see a pattern here?

Those with an agenda move to change history. They call into question a clearly defined and outlined account of the beginning of mankind. Then they call into question the clearly defined and outline beginnings of our nation. They are both being eroded by a movement to change their history to what fits that movement's agenda. To effectively topple any structure, physical or principle, you demolish the foundation. The foundation is it's history. Whether it's Genesis or the Constitution their mode of attack is still the same. Call into question what we know to be true and allow doubt to fester. Once doubt is present, compromise is inevitable. Once you compromise your principles, your doom is impending. They don't need a complicated agenda, just a relentless effort. Mankind being flawed will eventually succumb to the pressure of defending principles that have been called into question. Well, some of us will..........

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

And Away We Go!

Now begins the endless banter between gun right advocates and those who seek to disarm the nation.


News flash...Criminals don't abide by laws.
(that kind of defines a criminal)

What Mr. Holmes did was akin to tying the victims hands then beating them senselessly. Had they had a means of self defense, the bully couldn't have taken advantage of them, and most likely would have weighed his odds and rethought this attack. The second amendment gives us the right to no longer be a victim. Had Mr. Holmes not been permitted to buy a weapon, he'd have resorted to another resource to complete his horrible mission. Unarmed citizens are victims waiting to be taken advantage of, If that little old man from the Florida Internet cafe that used his firearm to thwart the bullies who sought to take advantage of those patrons been in the front row, I daresay there would be but 1 funeral in this aftermath, the bully's.

The ability to defend oneself is a God given right, and is only denied an individual by those who seek to subject them to tyranny. Beware of those who wish to disarm the public for the good of the people. That phrase, "good of the people," should be a warning trigger. It's straight out of the Communist Manifesto. The people are more than capable of knowing what's good for themselves, they don't need government to micro manage their lives.

The mission of a government "of the people, for the people, and by the people, " is to do for the community what it cannot do for itself. The individual is quite capable of buying a firearm and learning how to defend themselves. The government's job is to protect our property so we can leave our homes and live productive lives, and not worry about a bully removing our goods. They have the duty to prevent anarchy and chaos, for the people when they can't be around to do it for themselves, because we are enjoying the advantages of freedom. To assist the public in protecting their property is to promote freedom. Attempting to disarm Americans, is to set them up to be the victims of those who choose not to obey laws and possess weapons.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

Bureaucracy Is Single Minded!

"Congress doesn't pass laws anymore, it passes wish lists with broad statutes that allows the administrating bureaucrat to define the specifics."


There are those in Washington that has learned through the perversion of both the commerce clause, and the broad application of the general welfare clause in the preamble of the Constitution, that a non- descript offering of legislation allows more latitude when expanding their powers. Case in point, the sweeping generalities offered in the 2000 page plus healthcare legislation. Very little is defined, just left up to the discretion of the administrator, thereby creating a miniature dictator not accountable to anyone.

Another loose application is the Clean Water Act, and within that act the way "navigable waters" are abused. The EPA have broadened that explanation to include any puddle of water that might seep into a channel, as that puddle has an affect, ergo it must be overseen by the EPA. It's become normal for Congress to deem itself impotent as it has ceded authority to the bureaucracy. This has happened simply due to the delegation of specific definition of legislation to the head of a department. The eagerness of the bureaucrat in charge to assume and seize power points to the tyranny imposed. This is clearly not what our founders had in mind when they designed the separation of powers. Without exception it has led to an abuse of authority without oversight. Just another example of how far we've strayed from our original mission statement, and it's all in the selfish interest of a power grab.

Not only must we understand these abuses, we have to send representatives to office who also have a complete grasp on how unacceptable this is. This is the only way we can course correct this journey toward destruction our republic is on. Teach your children well my friends, and remind your friends and neighbors of the reality of Washington. We owe our children and grandchildren the future!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

This Great Experiment Of Freedom

In the beginning of this great experiment of freedom, our nation was visited and toured by Alexis De Tocqueville and he wrote extensively his observations of how our nation progressed. In light of the recent comments from our current President, I thought this might be a great time to remind our nation what the rest of the world admired about the system we live in, and the success that ensued.


"In the United States the interests of the country are everywhere kept in view; they are the object of solicitude to the people of the whole Union, and every citizen is warmly attached to them as if they were their own. He takes pride in the glory of his nation; he boast of its success, to which he conceives himself to have contributed; and he rejoices in the general prosperity by which he profits.The feeling he entertains toward the state is analogous to that which unites him to his family, and by a kind of selfishness that he interests himself in the welfare of his country."

Alexis goes on to say...

"He (being the citizen) never thinks of soliciting the co-operation of the government; but publishes his plan, offers to execute it, courts the assistance of other individuals, and struggles manfully against all obstacles. Undoubtedly he is often less successful than the state might have been in his position; but in the end the sum of these private undertakings far exceeds all that the government could have done."

Let me highlight key sentences in these two paragraphs that we should all understand and live by.

"But in the end the sum of these private undertakings far exceeds all that the government could have done."

This speaks directly to the comments of our current President and how they are radically opposite of the culture of our fledgling nation as brought to light by this author. This is De Tocqueville's on site report of how this experiment was prospering and how the world should take notice. It was a review of American Exceptionalism! Alexis reflects that spirit in these words...

"He takes pride in the glory of his nation; he boast of its success, to which he conceives himself to have contributed; and he rejoices in the general prosperity by which he profits."

This is the spirit our country was founded upon, not a proclamation of how the government was responsible for your success. That would be a direct contradiction of the entrepreneurial spirit that founded and made this nation the greatest on earth. We are being confused with China, a country that believes in a centralized government and the people rely on that government to exist. De Tocqueville makes that comparison with these insightful words....

"Travelers assure us that the Chinese have tranquillity without happiness, industry without improvement, stability without strength, and public order without public morality. The condition of society there is tolerable but never excellent."

This is the vision our current President has for this land that we love.

"Industry without improvement." As the tax burden impedes innovation and success.

"Public order without public morality." Turn on the TV or try to enjoy a movie without these words ringing in the back of your mind.

"The condition of society is tolerable but never excellent." Because the government has redistributed the wealth and success, and imposed social justice to the point that there is no benefit to work hard and rise above.

Is this your dream for the land that we love?

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

How Mitt Romney Wins The Presidentcy In A Landslide!

It never ceases to amaze me how we can cherry pick what we like and dislike about politics and politicians. It's so varied that there are very few certainties. Outside of claim that the Bush family is responsible for everything from a stubbed toe to global warming, most everything else is subject to a person's ideology. It is comforting to know that one former politician can shoulder the blame for just about everything wrong in this whole world. I'm simply agog at the idea he had time to get all this accomplished!


Now since I started out in a political frame of mind today, I thought I'd launch my sure fire plan to get Mitt Romney elected. This will turn the tide of the electoral process, and set the Obama campaign back on it's heels so far, they'll never recover. So here is the strategy...

It begins with Mitt's acceptance speech for the Republican party's launch of the campaign. Mitt announces that
"Yes I am a wealthy individual. Success has not eluded me, and in that spirit, and in the spirit of our founding fathers, who risked their lives and fortunes to create this republic, I wish to announce that when you elect me as President of this great nation, I'm going to forgo my salary and mandate that it's applied directly toward our country's debt reduction. I'm a man of means and self supporting, I don't need the income and the country doesn't need to accumulate more debt to support me. I'm also going to mandate that my retirement package, and the benefits associated with the office of President expenses also be directed toward lowering the national debt. I would also encourage any member of Congress or advisory boards that also are men and women of means to follow in my footsteps, and not accept compensation for their service to this country. We need to set an example and further the message of self sacrifice and patriotism."

That policy right there will secure all the undecided vote and a great majority of the independent vote. I would also make this announcement...

" It has come to light that the opposition of my campaign has taken exception to my nondisclosure of my tax returns. For some reason they don't think the IRS's stamp of approval is sufficient when it comes to my disclosure. Apparently it really irks them when information is withheld from the scrutiny of the public. I can't help but wonder how they like being on that side of the fence? So with that in mind, and my devotion to help our current President live up to being the most transparent in history, I'll release 1 year of tax filings for every sealed document the sitting President makes public. That should satisfy the curiosity on both sides of the political spectrum, and reinforce my willingness to compromise and reach out across the aisle in a spirit of cooperation. But I'll warn my doubters now, your going to find out that I am indeed a prosperous individual, and I've satisfied all of the requirements demanded by our tax code. I can't wait to see what our President's transparency reveals!"

Now I'm not available to consult or speech write for Mitt, but as a patriot this is my contribution toward his campaign. It's a winning strategy, complete with transparency, patriotism, and a spirit of nonpartisan cooperation.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

It Defies Logic!

To suggest, infer, make the statement, or otherwise submit that government is responsible for someone's success, is the height of an arrogant ideolog. Logic demands that something cannot be A and non A at the same time. Hence if government was a factor in success, success could not occur without government, and only those who were successful could be under the throws of government. Since government also occurs while individuals lack success, this statement lacks logic.


The discovery of fire is without doubt a pinnacle of success by mankind. Government wasn't even thought about when this occurred. The invention of the wheel made man more effective and therefore can be defined as a successful venture. Again it occurred without government, in fact both of these boons to mankind occurred during total anarchy. Government is not a success key!

To propose government is the cause of success as much nonsense as to infer gravity is cause by science. Gravity existed prior to man developing science to define the phenomena that surrounds him. Success existed prior to the discovery of government, and contrary to the science analogy, government does not define success.

There isn't a soul on earth that can achieve success without the air we breath. Is government the supplier of that? We cannot take another step forward toward success without oxygen, so logically it's even more important than anything government provides. But again, both the successful and those who lack success breath air, so while it is present for those who excel, it is also present for those who do not. What defines success is that which differs from those who exude exceptionalism, and those who don't.

To take the stand that your government, your education, or environment defines whether you succeed or fail is to invite the ability to lay blame. If you don't succeed you can attribute your failure to factors other than your individual effort. You defer your success by allowing something other than your mental toughness take credit or lay blame for your results. Instead of being part of the 10% who exceed expectations, you wallow in the mediocrity of the 90%, passing off excuses for results. This is the stinking thinking our youth is being taught. The government education conveyor belt is telling them you cannot hit a home run without giving credit to the bat, the ball, the other players, the field, the umpire, the fans, and finally the government. Hence you can blame each and everyone of those for a lack of success. The combination of your individual effort and God's grace are what defines those who excel, nothing more and nothing less.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

In Memoriam

The world lost a great resource yesterday with the departure of Stephen R. Covey. His impact on society through his authoring of outstanding personal development books, and the creation of the FranklinCovey Corporation will echo for generations. I think Stephen Covey described his life best with the mission statement that the company that bears his name lives by.


"We enable greatness in people and organizations everywhere."

Now that's a legacy! His most famous book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, also holds a key to the man. The little footnote right under the title is a mission statement for all to live by.

"Restoring the Character Ethic."

He believed in the wisdom of Aristotle, passed down through the ages, when he said.

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."

So Mr. Stephen R. Covey thank you for your impact on society! Thank you for a legacy of leadership thinking and teaching of leadership skills. And most of all, thank you for sharing.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

FIREPOWER!

I heard a great statement the other day, and I thought I'd share.


"Man fires the bullets, it's God that decides what they strike."-Gen. Gorostieta

What a great analogy! Our ammo pouch is full! We have the tools to change the tide of the battle. It's simply a matter of using those tools God gives us and trust in His aim. Our most deadly weapon is our example. The primer that fires our example is our world view. Our world view ignites our thought process, and those thoughts fire our example as it explodes from the barrel; ready to claim a bulls eye and defeat the enemy, stinking thinking.

Can you see how important it is to keep your powder dry? Anything you allow to contaminate that which drives your example, risks a misfire when facing the enemy. And as warriors in a battle for the hearts and minds of a moral and just society, we have to be ever vigilant as to our mental input. The enemy is always lurking, offering distractions that on face value seem harmless. But those are the tools our opponent uses in their covert operations. They plant the seed of doubt or victimization, and cultivate that weed to overrun our garden of example.

So drink deeply of good books my friend. Cultivate the wisdom that holds the secret to success. Arm yourself with the fire power of a exemplary example, and lead others to truth. There is no greater victory than to be the arsenal that crushes stinking thinking, and points others toward the life they've always wanted.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

Where the Difference Lay!

"Good men of good principles can disagree. "


Perhaps this is where the divide in the Christian church is best understood. You see we are human and of our own opinions. Yet we all seek the truth as Christians, just under different circumstances. My opinion of salvation or the doctrine varies just a tad from yours, but we all seek the same results. This is how I imagine the different variations of Christianity came to pass. Baptist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Catholic, etc, all based on the teachings in the Bible, just different interpretation. The only thing that truly divides us is our opinions. We have good principles grounded in the teaching of the Bible, but the arrogance of standing on what our disagreements are define our sect of worship. A specific difference between God and man.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

For Greater Glory!

If it were up to people like me the movie industry would go broke. But last night I sidestepped tradition and visited the theater for the second time this decade.The last visit was to see Atlas Shrugged, the move before that was The Perfect Storm, and prior to that I watched Eight Seconds, and only a decade or so before that I enjoyed the original Star Wars. So as you can tell the Theater and I don't have a personal relationship, but not much has changed. I was excited to see that the second part of Atlas Shrugged is due to open in October, so we can learn more about John Galt. That's also a very timely release as the elections are right around the corner and Ayn Rand's timeless novel strikes so close to home in this time of economic peril. (I'm sure my 200 percent increase in entertainment spending this decade is helping to stem the tide on that financial issue). Anyway, the reason I wandered into unfamiliar territory was to see the movie Greater Glory. Interestingly, just like Atlas Shrugged it's not an easy movie to find if your seeking to enjoy it's entertainment value. I was told the theater has to be enticed by locals to offer a showing, as it wasn't on it's radar as a blockbuster moneymaker.


That's truly a shame because it is a wonderful portrayal and an incredible story of faith, freedom, and redemption. It also has interesting release timing as our country is addressing just this issue. Perhaps that could be the cause of the scarcity of theaters offering it's showing? I'm not certain if the movie is grounded in historical fact, or if the director took liberties with the plot, but if the United States did indeed react to Mexico's crushing of religious freedom as portrayed in the film, we indeed should be ashamed. If you take recommendations from a person who is completely unfamiliar with the entertainment industry, go see it. It'll make you laugh, cry, cheer, boo, and it'll make you think. The only disappointment I had with the whole experience was the ticket sales girl who had to be all of sixteen. After I got home and was emptying out my pockets, I examined my ticket stub a little more closely only to find she had given me a senior discount. It might be time to wash away some of this gray!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

Truth!

Fundamental basic truth will arise out of personal reflection and most importantly, experience! They illuminate and reinforce purpose. For example....


The ends never justify the means

Values are not culturally defined.

Values without morality mean nothing, because your standing for nothing.

Not all values are equal.

Life is cause and effect. Sooner or later you sit down to a banquet of consequences.

There are moral absolutes, and they must take preference over social or economic trends.

Commitments are more important than self interests. The selfish pursuit of something is not worth your reputation.

It takes years to build a reputation and seconds to destroy it.

Truth is knowing that your character is shaped by your decisions.

Watch your beliefs; they become thoughts.

Guard your thoughts; they become your spoken word.

Mind your words; they become actions.

Monitor your actions; they become habits.

Review your habits; they instill character.

Protect your character; it is your legacy!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

This Is Handled Poorly!

One of the tricks of government is to classify people into status groups. Perhaps you've heard our President refer to the rich of this great nation when discussing tax rates. I've often wondered why he treats success as a four letter word, don't you think prosperous is a more accurate definition? Anyway, within these categorizations is the lower class that you rarely hear the government talk about. They certainly are vocal about the middle class workers and the prosperous that they wish to impose higher taxes on, but it's not often they highlight the poor people of this nation. Probably for good reason as they don't really spotlight the results of unsuccessful policy. But while government ignores this group of people, the Bible does not.


The poor can be broken down into four categories as they appear in the Scripture. The first group consists of individuals who are poor because of a direct result of indolence, irresponsibility. God's response to such behavior is understandably without compassion. "Consider the ant thou sluggard." Go watch the ant and learn how to live. Paul is very strict in his rebuke in the New Testament: "If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat."-2 Thess. 3:10

However we cannot lump everyone of the disadvantaged into this description. There are lots of people who fall into this classification that are void of sin or from a result of being lazy. There are those who are poor because of calamity, disease, accident and other circumstances. Scripture tells us that it's our responsibility to pour out our hearts in compassion and give assistance to those who are suffering through no fault of their own. Please note there isn't a word of government intervention here. We are our brother's keepers, not politicians in Washington who've acquired a godlike aura and pass out entitlements to those in need for exchanging favors in the ballot box.

The third group are those who are poor due to tyranny, or exploitation by the powerful. If you listen to the politicians today, you could surmise that to be anyone who makes under a million dollars a year, as they believe every dollar earned in prosperity was one that was taken from another. It could be they feel guilty as all their revenue is derived from the imposing of taxes on the hard working citizen. Back to point, God demands we fight for justice for these victims and be advocates and defenders of these people in need. That's the righteous thing for Christians to do.

The fourth and final group is comprised of those who are poor voluntarily. Mother Theresa come to mind as one of those blessed few who live in poverty so they can serve others. It takes a special individual to sacrifice worldly gain as a personal commitment so they can devote their entire attention toward the well being of others. They not only deserve our support, but our whole hearted approval. They understand their reward will be in heaven, not here on earth. You better believe their riches will far exceed any known to man on earth.

I think I have a better grasp now of why politicians don't directly address the poor. It's more complicated than issues they like to address. It's easier to lump them all together and write a taxpayer supported check to resolve the issue. Instead of understanding and dealing with each aspect of poverty as a separate problem, they move it off the table of priorities by throwing tax dollars at it. The results speak for themselves. This is why government shouldn't be involved in charity.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

We Must Do Better!

Well today's a political day because I just cannot get this issue out of my mind. If you don't live in a cave your aware that at the end of the year the tax cuts granted to the American citizens, (all of them), under former President George Bush will expire by the end of the year. And in turn your probably cognizant that our current President has decided that they need to be renewed for everyone who earns under $250,000.00 a year, and anyone over that thresh hold the pending increase should stand.


This is so wrong in so many ways. First of all the law applies to you and I equally as it should in any society that loves justice. We hold this premise so dear it's inscribed over the entrance to the highest court in the land in these words, "Equal justice under the law." Now if we all understand that the tax code is a law, it shouldn't be too difficult to comprehend that if I'm taxed at one rate, we all should be taxed at the same rate. That is simply a fair treatment for all the people who live and earn income in this country. If you earn more the fact that we tax by percentage allows for you to pay more, but that percentage should be the same for everyone. Otherwise the tax code is being used as a penalty to retard success.

When the Bible tells us to tithe, it doesn't say some should tithe at different rates than others, in fact 10% across the board is what is called for. Here's a question for you. Are we elevating the government over God by insisting that a larger percentage of our income goes to the government than our spiritual cause? Isn't that a tad arrogant?

Now the President has this brilliant idea he's trying to use to convince the other legislators who stand opposed to this increase that's absolutely absurd. He's announcing that since they all agree that those under $250,000.00 should see an increase, the legislators should pass that part and they can negotiate the tax increase on the wealthier individuals at a later date. Right! While this kind of trust might be issued to someone who actually wants to have this discussion in good faith, you'd have to be an absolute simpleton to believe he has any intention of furthering this discussion after the President's agenda has been passed. This is the "liar in chief," a man who stands before the American public and knowingly announces either half truth, or outright lies. There is no trust to be ceded an individual of this historical deception. We are dealing with a total lack of character, no integrity, and trust is the last thing you grant individuals like this. Well, really the last thing you should give him is your vote, next to last is your trust.

Your word is your sacred bond. How did we get here? We have a leader that if he told you his shirt was blue, you'd have to have that verified by several trusted sources to believe it. Is this really how we want our country led? The man wrote two books about his life and they are both a pack of lies! We can't even trust he was the author! It terrible not to be able to get past the front cover before your calling into question the integrity of the information inside. This is what our country has making decisions in the executive branch. Is it a wonder that we've reached the state of decay we currently enjoy? We can and must do better!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

Don't Be Negative!

One of the most under appreciated and overlooked women in history has to be Noah's wife. The account of her outstanding achievement is so poor we aren't even sure of her name, as it's not mentioned in The Book of Genesis. We can take a stab at it from other information were it suggests it might have been, Emzara, or Nuraita, or even Naamah, but imagine yourself in her shoes of a second.


Your hubby comes home and proclaims he just had a conversation with God. "That's nice honey," she says. "He want me to build an Ark," announces Noah.

" What's an Ark, babe?" asks his wife.

" I'm not sure, but I was told it's 300 cubits long, by 50 cubits wide, by 30 cubits high, and constructed out of gopher wood." responds Noah!

"That's nice hon, what's a cubit?" she asks with wonder.

"I'm told that a cubit is the length of my arm from my elbow to my fingertips," Noah informs her. "And we are to fill it with animals, two by two in breeding pairs."

"Wow, that sounds like quite a task. What's the purpose?" inquires his wife.


"Well there is going to be this great flood that'll consume the earth, and we were chosen to repopulate it." Noah proclaims.

Now at this point Noah's wife had a decision to make. She could have been a negative wife, or supported her husband's purpose. Imagine if she had told him this was a crazy scheme and demanded he get back to work providing for her and his family in the only way he knew how. "Get your head out of the clouds and quit listening to voices!" Might have very well been her response. Mankind and all life would have been destroyed from the earth, and it all hinged on the support of a loving spouse. We should take pause and reflect when opportunity presents itself. Are we playing a role in history as our purpose is rolled out before us, or are we being the wet blanket that smothers greatness? Noah's effort took all the resources of his family and all it's support, but the outcome has been the survival of mankind. They couldn't have realized their reward until the floods came. Talk about delayed gratification!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

Now This Is Complicated!

There are many times in life that perception is not reality. A great example is if a fellow has on a red shirt, now when asked you'd say that the shirt is red; that's your perception. But in reality the shirt isn't really red! We know this because if you take that shirt thirty feet under water, it now appears brown. So the shirt wasn't actually red, it was exhibiting the red in the white light spectrum it was exposed to, and that can be subject to change determined by the light that hits it.


So what is the reality of the shirt? Well we know it's made of material and has been cut and sewn to a particular pattern, this is fact not subject to conditions. Those points will never change. This is the substance of the shirt, a real quality. The color we perceived was a secondary quality added by what our mind perceived.

So what has this to do with anything? Well like color, so to is the perception of beauty. Beauty is not a fact, but an opinion. To quote the famous saying, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," is spot on accurate. I may hold a different opinion because of my perception of an event or a thing, but that doesn't necessarily make it wrong. It makes it how the essence of that subject related to me.

So many times we have discussions with others and their perceptions differ from ours. They are reflecting how the essence of the topic relates to them, and often times what they perceive to be true is a conclusion arrived at through experiences totally different than ours. They saw the shirt as brown because of different circumstances, while we know that when we saw it, it was red! Both are right. We just had different experiences.

We have to understand that because we cannot possibly experience everything, our conclusions, ergo maybe tainted by our lack of experience. We determine our conclusions by repetitive experiences. This is why science is a theory, and people watching the same event arrive at different outcomes. We are limited by what we deem to be true based upon our induction of phenomena.

So if you feel the need to be right mandatory, you have to experience everything you can, and participate with eyes wide open. The induction of phenomena is the key to vast experience and valid opinions. In other words, GET OFF THE COUCH AND GO EXPERIENCE LIFE!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

In God We Trust!

If we acknowledge (as our forefathers did), that God is the Creator of the universe, then there should be no misconception that God has sovereignty over everything He creates.


Herein lies the reason for the secular movement. Government doesn't want God telling it what to do. It's a power struggle between those who wish to tell us what to do, and He who gave us the right to exist. So those who feel their power threatened constantly harp on a man concocted principle of separation of church and state. But what they fail to realize is it's not the responsibility of the church to be the state, nor the state to be the church. The concept of separation of church and state does not mean separation of state and God.

No earthly government ever has the right to rule by their own preferences without being accountable to some ultimate standard of righteousness and justice. There are those in power who deem that as a threat to their ruling capabilities and as interference with their agenda. This is the hedgehog concept of the secular movement. If God is portrayed as insignificant then the people turn to government for their salvation. They want us to become a pagan nation and declare our independence from God.

This tone is supported by the entitlement agenda. Why would the state assume the role of a charity? We are called on by God to love one another and care for our brother as we would ourselves, if not better. This is a mandate from God himself. Why would we permit government to assume that role? The church is mandated to tend it's flock, not bend to the oversight of a government program.

Government has it's role, and church has it's mandate. As a God fearing people we need to assume our responsibility to the charity of those less fortunate and relieve that economic stress and pressure from the government. That will allow it to focus on what government's responsibilities are; establish justice, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

We've Strayed!

I'm not really sure if this picture made it to the post, so I'll describe it. It's a view of a car dealership offering a New Chevy Volt with a sales sign in front saying...


BUY A NEW CHEVY VOLT (or pay a $2000.00 tax)

The collateral damage of the Supreme Court's decision is expansive. Congress now have the okay from the court to impose a tax as a penalty for not purchasing a product. The cartoon make a very real point given this administration's desire to impose a green agenda. We already know they will disregard the principles this nation was founded upon with their,"ends justify the means" approach. Is it really a stretch of the imagination to believe they might tax Americans out of the vehicles they are currently driving into an environmental friendly government sponsored car? The government can claim it's food for the air and the economy, not unlike The Affordable Healthcare Act is also good for what ails us. The government knows what's best for us, and that attitude has been adopted by this current administration. Freedom has been dealt a crippling blow. We are having the will of an administration imposed on the people in direct violation of a government designed to be, of the people, for the people, and by the people.

Not to wander but the courts are running amuck. Yesterday George Zimmerman, the man who shot Trayvon Martin, was allowed to bond out of jail after being rejailed for an additional bond hearing. The judge boosted his bond from $150,000.00 to $1,000,000.00 in what seemed to be an attempt to keep this man incarcerated prior to having his day in court. Now the 8th amendment to our Constitution states that excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishment inflicted. Since the first bond hearing Zimmerman had his bond raised exorbitantly, and for what reason? Bond is to insure appearance at the time of the hearing, not to financially punish an alleged criminal. When Zimmerman was recalled by a warrant, he diligently turned himself in as requested. While they did find he was in possession of a duplicate passport, it was simply a matter of turning that document over to the court. That was the only issue other than he had access to more money that the court originally thought, for increasing the bond. Bonds are not penalties. Accused people deserve their day in court unless they pose a threat to society. Zimmerman has been stripped of firearms, and has to stay in seclusion with security to avoid interaction with those who mean him harm. Does financially crippling him with exorbitant bond demands help him stay safe, or does it hinder his ability to provide himself and his family a safe environment in which to exist? He has no passport to run, and he has no means to be a threat to society. He showed up on demand when required to; how does a judge justify the outrageous bond demand? Once again a penalty has been imposed on a citizen for suspect reasoning, and without due process. Zimmerman has shown he will return to court when required while under a $150,000.00 bond. There is no justification short of predisposing him as guilty, for incarceration or excessive bond imposed. Where is the America our founders ceded us?

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

What An Experience!

You never stop going to the school of experience!


Knowledge comes from experience, not the mind!

These are two great statements that we who study life and leadership should always keep in mind. We don't invent knowledge, we grasp understanding through our experiences. Think about math for instance. We all learned math by first experiencing the process to solve the problem, then applying those principles to come to a logical conclusion. Our minds didn't know that 2+2=4 until we gained that knowledge through experience.

Everyday is an experience. Each one holds it's own unique lesson for us to absorb. Some are subtle and some hit us over the head like a bat, but we never stop experiencing. The wonderful thing about this process is we have a say in what we experience, and we can gain by the experience of others by reading. What an outstanding process! We are capable of avoiding the pitfalls of others simply by digesting their written words. How cool is that?

The great part is, we are only limited in experience, or knowledge if you will, by what we choose to fertilize our minds with. Would it be better to digest the philosophy of Plato, Aristotle, or Socrates, or fill your mind with the next episode of "punked?"

We gain experience by saving the phenomena, and we make choices as to what that phenomena is. What fills your head guides you through the decision making process. The more I understand this, the more I understand why society is where it is at today. Our intelligence has been under assault, and it's fair to say the wounds we received were self inflicted!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

Another Theory Rises!

Well once again we've had another "scientific breakthrough" as physicists have announced they've discovered something they've given the moniker the "god particle."


What else would a secular driven movement name a subatomic particle they know little or nothing about but after a false god? Instead of melting down gold and forming molten images of false gods, they've reduced themselves to worshiping a particle.

Why?

Because it satisfies the need to understand what they cannot explain without using an all knowing, immortal being. With all the hoopla surrounding this discovery, they still have yet to answer the one remaining question.

Where did this particle come from?

It couldn't have created itself out of thin air, actually there wasn't even thin air to begin with. You cannot make something out of nothing without the presence of an all knowing eternal God. There is simply no rational explanation other than that. While science can persevere to explain how God used a process to bring all this wonder of creation about, they cannot, try as they might, rationally explain how any event or substance occurs from complete nothingness without the presence of a higher power. But then methinks they are aware of that because the closer they get to understanding how the events all came to be, the more reference they make to a god like power. Hence the title "god particle."

In their quest to explain where "stuff" comes from, they've yet to explain what was the outside force that caused the "Big Bang?" As we know a body at rest tends to stay at rest, that's one of the laws of Physics, so it needs an outside force to make an event occur. They also neglect to answer where that body at rest came from in the first place. These questions have plagued Philosophers and Physicists since the days of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. God is the great unifier and supplies all the answers to not only the scientific theories but the philosophical questions man has asked since the dawn of time. The question being who am I, and how did I get here, has but one resolution. This orderly structure we survive in was created by an all knowing, loving, immortal God that transcends the metaphysical theories we've lamely supplied to try to explain and alternative to Him.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

We Stand For Liberty!

 236 years ago today, thirteen colonies formed a Congress and made a Declaration. This was the beginning of an experiment of liberty like no other. Those brave men decided that through the course of human events, it became necessary, to dissolve the political bands that connected them with another power, and assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitled them.


 That's the premise that this nation is grounded upon. First they stated that it was through a process of events that mankind had created. Secondly they made it known they were not going to be subjected to another's tyranny any longer. Third they claimed a separate and equal right granted to them by not only the Laws of Nature, but by the Creator. This was their way of saying they'd had enough and with God's blessing they were going to do something about it.

 As free men blessed with that right by the higher power that created them, they proclaimed that it should be apparent to everyone that their Creator granted them unalienable rights, sometimes called inalienable rights. The definition is the same, rights that cannot be separated, given away, nor taken away. No man, entity, or government has the authority to usurp the power of the Creator, ergo only He can deny mankind these rights.

 These were the rights of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. Since Life is a gift from God our creator, it is mandatory we respect and honor that right in every form. No man has the authority to deny Life to another, this was the first of the Rights our founders declared.

 The right of Liberty as granted to us by our Father in heaven is defined as freedom. That's a broad statement, but then freedom is a broad right. No man has the power to deny another his Liberty; his right to choose. Mankind was created with options, we have the right to choose and maintain ownership for those decisions.

 And then they declared the right to pursue Happiness! Once again a broad statement, but by definition liberty has no boundaries. When God created man he gave us dominion over all the earth, but not each other. I'll quote...

"Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth."- Genesis 1:26

 This is how this great nation was defined by the men who envisioned a never before tried experiment in liberty. They went on to create a government of the people, for the people, and by the people. This is what we celebrate on this day; the memory of that bold proclamation! Protect those rights as defined by those brave men. They were gifts from God! Happy Birthday America!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

Want Some Candy?

Okay I'm back! Had a few computer issues to deal with, but all is good now! The down time gave me pause to reflect on the Supreme Court's decision on healthcare, and how it affects us all. After to listening to all the pundits and politicians apply their spin to the issue, one thought came to mind.


The government has become like a pedophile standing on the street corner trying to lure victims with the promise of candy up front.

While the initial offering maybe enticing, the end results your not going to like. This healthcare offering has all the entitlements front end loaded to lure you into the snare, then it becomes a tax burden. A tax burden that'll get increasingly worse, not unlike it's predecessors, Medicare, Medicaid, and social Security. The regret of initializing this entitlement won't be felt until long after the pedophile has left the scene and the horror of the act has set in.

This is what our nation has become. Our "leadership" has taken to deceived the citizens to enact legislation, "for it's own good." It's created an infection of mistrust that'll increasingly fester as time awakens the public to the financial horror this entitlement will create. Like an innocent child the uninformed voter will be abused after they have been lured with the promise of treats. Is this not the same deception used by other tyrants to achieve power over the unsuspecting? I don't know how else to put this other than it's an act of a hustler out to take advantage of the naive.

The only path to arrest this abuse of power is the voting booth in November. We've been abandoned by the last line of defense and told; you elected this mess, you clean it up. Fair enough!

Since no one in this administration seems to regularly attend any church, they are unaware that those of faith are praying them out of office. Those prayers will lead to an awakening, which will lead to the ballot box. It's a beautiful thing to watch as religious leaders indirectly inspire change through the power of prayer. Not a political word is muttered, but the influence of the Christian community will be felt come election day.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill