I just wanted to let everyone know that this stuff really works — I am now officially unemployed for the first time in my adult life, and the company that I worked for will probably be forced to close its doors soon thanks to socialist economics and super-hero Barack Obama.

And with reduced competition and the inflation that trillions of dollars worth of un-backed curency flooding the market will cause, you can be sure that the products we used to bring you will increase in price while your wages drop and your money becomes worthless.

Thanks Obama — Lovin’ the change!

It’s too bad that communism is no laughing matter.

When I see a bird I think about what a wonderful experience it must be to fly. They glide through the air with such ease and grace—speeding, flowing, and dancing in the wind.

How wonderful it must be.

What would it be like to have wings? What would the world look like from high above the treetops?

It must be amazing to see things from almost every angle. So many things are visible to a bird that we can’t see.

What an amazing perspective birds have.

Imagine being so light that–with a flip of your wings–you could float on the air. Imagine the speed at which you could travel!

When I see little birds zipping through the sky, I am amazed at the distance they are able to cover in an instant. They are so fast and efficient. And beautiful—oh yes, they are very beautiful!

It’s no wonder that birds spend most of their day singing from the tree tops? Who wouldn’t want to sing out loud when the world is such a thrill?

If I had the chance, just for a day, I think if I could; I’d like to be a bird?

First, a little bit of a history lesson, before I get on to my prediction.

For those who don’t know, global warming stopped over 10 years ago. You wouldn’t know this, however, if you’ve been getting your news from the major media outlets, who constantly push the “sky is falling” United Nations propaganda. Add to that, National Geographic footage of melting glaciers (normal), icebergs breaking off from the arctic shelf (also normal [what sunk the Titanic?]), and all other manner of things, that when viewed by a distant and ignorant population, under the pretext of climate change, causes dumb hysteria.

These reported geological events (purported evidence of climate change) have been going on for thousands of years. Greenland, now covered by a massive ice sheet was once green, and teaming with plant life! Ice core samples reveal that our planet home has undergone massive temperature fluctuations for millenia, long before humans entered the equation. In fact, global temperature is radically unstable, and always has been.

Before you freak out completely, just know that greenhouse based global warming is pure B.S. Furthermore, this massive concern because each year doesn’t have exactly the same weather as the last one is just plain foolishness. It will always be warming, or cooling, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.

So, back to my prediction: It will start warming again in the next few years.

My prediction is based on solar weather. We can’t regulate the sun. But we can forecast it! The sun cycles through periods of high and low activity—something, I am familiar with as an Amateur Radio operator. Sunspots and solar flares charging the ionosphere are very important to long range worldwide radio communications, and the lull in solar activity which began to occur just after 2001—about the same time that global temps started decreasing—has been very depressing to Amateur Radio Operators around the world. My 10 meter transceiver has been shelved for years, because the band is simply dead.

These solar cycles are fairly routine, and usually occur approximately every 11 years or so. They are comprised of what is called a solar maximum, and a solar minimum. And we have been experiencing a very deep and extended solar minimum, which followed an unusually intense solar maximum. The current minimum is so deep that it’s actually generating some media attention. Please read this NASA report on the subject, it’s very interesting!

So all this leads me to my prediction. You see, we recently got our first bona fide sunspot in I don’t know how long, and I’m hoping it will be the first of many. The sun has been incredibly quiet for quite a few years now, and it’s due to start waking up soon. As it begins to experience increased magnetic fluctuations, flares, and sunspots, it will throw more particle and electromagnetic radiation our way, brighten, and if history repeats, global temps will increase.

So get ready, Al Gore is probably going to have a heyday selling his carbon credits, and the U.N. will convince the United States to get into the energy regulation business big time, and our march towards slavery will continue as our schools and media program us to believe that we’ll die if we don’t allow our government to regulate us into an impoverished peasant state—being much easier to rule and control.

We’ll see if I’m right! And remember, you heard it here!

Economic Stimulus can work under the right circumstances, when done right, but this new stimulus bill will destroy what’s left of our damaged economy.

Why? I mean besides the fact that it loaded with pork?

1. It is based on massive debt.
2. It doesn’t put money in the right places.
3. It rewards foolish behavior, while punishing those who act responsibly.

And now, since you’re still reading, I will explain.

President Obama says that the stimulous bill will create jobs, and that those jobs will pour money back into the economy. (Actually, most of what it creates is more government, but whatever.)

Sounds great! So what’s the logic defect?

Well, the bill creates new jobs, but not new businesses. So these new jobs will not be self-sustaining. They are only able to exist while money is being funneled into them. They don’t produce wealth, they consume it.

But that’s not all! The real problem is that our government doesn’t have the money to pay all these workers. So it will be borrowed (with interest), to be given to workers who’s jobs were “created”  to get the stimulus money into the economy, from which it was taken in the first place. Supposedly. (Sheesh, Obamic logic is hard to flollow.)

So, basically, we’re going to confiscate trillions of dollars from our own economy, pay finance charges on it, and put it back in. This helps us how?

But that’s not the worst of it. Here a few of the things Congress thinks will stimulate you.

• $80 Million in aid to the Internal Revenue Service to provide health coverage to workers laid off because of outsourcing overseas.
• $15 Million for Interior spending oversight. (What?)
• $1.52 Billion for industrial carbon capture and energy efficiency improvement projects.
• $50 Million for identifying sites to store carbon dioxide emissions.
• $20 Million for training and research on safe storage of carbon emission.
• $5.55 Billion for construction, repair and energy alterations to federal buildings and facilities.
• $300 Million for the purchase of fuel efficient vehicles for federal fleet.

As you can see, the bill seems to be more focused on stimulating government than on creating wealth.

Come on, Congress, Obama! It’s a stimulus bill—you claim—so it should only be doing what you’re saying it will do; stimulating the economy!!! Do any of the above mentioned earmarks seem like they will stimulate anything, besides federal employees?

The dirty little secret: This bill punishes hard working Americans by confiscating, and wasting their wealth, and rewards lazy, foolish, and irresponsible people by providing them with things they haven’t earned or didn’t have the sense to keep.

So I ask, if you throw away your integrity and decency (something that’s all the rage these days), which side would you rather be on? The working end, or the getting end? — And what happens to our economy when no one wants to be on the working end any more?

If you’re still with me, I think you’ve probably figured out why this bill won’t save anything.

“When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced.
Live your life so that when you die,
the world cries and you rejoice.”

~ Cherokee Expression

Sometimes I get cranky with the world and let things get to me. But I know it’s important to remember and appreciate the things that are wonderful and grand. I love beautiful artwork, photographs, and poetry. Above are a couple of things I found today that I really liked!

What are some of the things that brighten your life?

Imagine you’re going about your day, nothing unusual, it’s just an ordinary day. You wake up, have breakfast, watch the morning news. The kids are at school, so you decide to go out to do a little grocery shopping. You get in your car, turn on the radio, and head for the store. Fiddling with the dial, you find your favorite song playing, and you turn it up. As you round the corner the store comes into view, and. . . BAMB! The sky goes dark. You realize that your windshield is broken; shattered into millions of pieces, the only thing holding them together is the the plastic safety membrane sandwiched between the two layers of broken glass. You quickly stop the car, turn down the radio, and sit for a second wondering what just happened. Then you hear screaming, and people begin running past your car, crying, and bleeding. These are your neighbors. People you know. They live in your town. “What in the world?” . . . “what just happened?”

This is what your day might be like if you live in Israel. The shopping center is gone, and you were just nearly killed by a Hamas rocket, fired into your city from Gaza. One of over 6,000 rockets that Hamas has launched into Israel since Israel’s voluntarily withdrawal from Gaza in 2005.

Proof positive, that if you give an Islamic terrorist what he want’s, he’s still going to try to kill you.

President George W. Bush once called Islam “. . .a religion of peace.” What-ever! Islamic lunatics have been warring, murdering, and destroying, in a never ending saga of hatred and evil for thousands of years; literally! What in the ever-loving-name-of-all-that-is-holy, is peacefull about that?!

So now in 2009, more that 6,000 rocket attacks later, Israel has had enough, and begins air strikes, and a ground invasion of Gaza in an effort to remove Hamas. Hamas, being the evil, heartless pieces of human trash that they are, launch their rockets from densely populated civilian neighborhoods, using women, and children as shields. When Israeli forces strike back against these weapons installations, there are unavoidably large numbers of innocent deaths. This is by design. Hamas employs these tactics in order deliberately cause death and destruction to its own people, and then publicly blames Israel for it. Hamas makes no excuses. It is their stated goal to use death and terror to annihilate Israel, wipe out the Jews, and establish an Islamic state, eventually to encompass the world.

So my question to you is: Why is it that every time Israel goes after Hamas terrorists, the United Nations demands they back down? Is Israel really supposed to sit back, and let Hamas rocket, and shell kindergartens, neighborhoods, and grocery stores until there is no one left?

What’s the deal with the double standard? Why does Hamas get a free pass to constantly attack Israel, but the moment Israel fights back, the world has a massive conniption over it. Why doesn’t the press report on the many innocent Israeli’s that are killed every year by psycho-arabs with overgrown religious egos, and barely enough brainpower to operate a termite?

Happy new year!  I hope this is going to be a great one!

Unfortunately for this blog, I’m getting crushed with work lately.  I work in the petroleum industry, and the low oil prices, have definitely caused a spike in demand.  Additionally, cutbacks in manpower during the previous slowdown has caused a labor shortage, and I’m getting all the work I could ever want, and then some.

My poor blog is suffering.   So is my wonderful family.  And myself!  Holy cow!  I swear, it’s either feast or famine with this job.

I really regret it, but I’m going to have to neglect bozark.net for a bit.  Lately, I only have a few hours every couple of days, literally, to spend with my family.  So the choice is, blog, or spend time with family.  As much as I love my blog, and it’s readers, family comes first.

Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.  I’m just warning you that quality and quantity of posts will be reduced pending the acquisition of a little more spare time.

Happy 2009!  I’m excited, it’s a whole new year, just waiting to be made!  Get out there and make it the best one yet!

I just got home from two days on the road for work, and the house is empty.  It is Christmas Eve.  No doubt, some last minute Christmas shopping is being done!  The sad part is, as I was shoveling the snow out of my parking spot in the driveway, the nice couple from across the street came over to ask me if the dog lying in the snow in front of their home was one of mine.  Sure enough, it was.  He had managed to break free from his run, and was killed by a passing car as the sun set on this beautiful Christmas Eve.  I didn’t even notice him lying there when I came home.  So I feel a little sad.  But it’s seems so strange to me that his death happened right at the time when we are celebrating Christ’s birth.  I think he must have been wanted at his true home in heaven; to again be at the feet of his loving creator for Christmas.  And what better place for him to be?

He died the day before Christmas, 2008.  And my Son, Ethan, was born the day after, in 2003.  So I now have 3 special days to remember each year at this time.

I’m thankful for Jesus Christ; his example, his sacrifice, and his love.  I am thankful for Ethan, and all of the interesting times, and things that he has brought into my life, and I will always remember Max, and I’m happy that he’s at home in heaven for Christmas.  It will be a great Christmas!

Merry Christmas, EVERYONE!  Remember what this holiday is about.  It’s not about gifts, or money, or lights, trees, Santa Clause, or anything else.  It’s about our saviour, and the redemption that he offers us.  And It’s also about goodwill, life, family, love, and joy.  “. . .men are, that they might have joy.” – 2 Nephi 2:25.  Have Joy this Christmas!  You are alive, and you are loved!  And there is such great promise before you!  What else could be better than that?

“We tell lies when we are afraid… afraid of what we don’t know, afraid of what others will think, afraid of what will be found out about us.  But every time we tell a lie, the thing that we fear grows stronger.” ~Tad Williams

I think those words are absolutely accurate.  I truly think that one of the most important qualities that any one of us can possess is an honest spirit.  Honesty.  It’s a beautiful word, and what is more beautiful than the knowledge that no matter what the circumstance, you can put your trust in the character of another?

When we are honest, we are innocent, and can take pride in the strength of our character.  When we do not lie, cheat, steal, or deceive, we can only ever be guilty of making mistakes, for which we can, and should be, forgiven.  Furthermore, acceptance, and confession of our mistakes, makes us lovable.  To be sure, I’ve never been so impressed by a person than when they confess a mistake that they could have lied about, and no one ever would have known.  It makes me trust them, and admire their strength and fidelity.  It makes them great in my eyes.  I think more highly of a person who errors, and then admits it, and endeavors to make it right, than by the person who never made the mistake in the first place.  My respect for the first person is greater.

So why is it so hard?  In a recent survey conducted by the Josephson Institute of teenagers, it is reported that teenagers today are habitually stealing, lying, and cheating at an alarming rate.  30 percent of teenagers admitted to stealing from a store within the last year.  42 percent say that they sometimes lie to save money, and 83 percent lied to their parents about something significant.  64 percent say they cheated on a test within the last year.  And to make matters worse, 26 percent said they lied on at least 1 or 2 questions on the survey!  Experts agree that dishonesty on surveys usually is an attempt to conceal misconduct, so what does that mean?

“Despite these high levels of dishonesty, the respondents have a high self-image when it comes to ethics. A whopping 93 percent said they were satisfied with their personal ethics and character and 77 percent said that when it comes to doing what is right, ‘I am better than most people I know’,  the report said.

Okay, so I remember being a teenager, and I was admittedly less than perfectly ethical and honest at all times.  But doesn’t it seem like people these days, not just teenagers–but people in general–are bending the rules of ethical and honest behavior more often lately than in the past?

Recently I made a commitment to myself to stop speeding when in my car.  I’m wondering if this particular commitment might be a public safety concern, because on my way home from work everyone was passing me so fast that I feared I might be killed in a horrible accident.  But does an honest person break the law?  Isn’t it cheating, in a way, to get somewhere faster by breaking the speed limit?

And what about politicians?  I watched the presidential campaigning and debates leading up the recent election, and there were lies everywhere!

It is this lack of honesty that could be our downfall.  We need to stop with the cheating, lying, and stealing, because when we do these things, we’re hurting not only our own personal integrity, but we’re hurting other people.  It’s inherent in the beast.  Because we perpetuate an ugly cycle.  We help to create a world where cheating is the norm, and honest people feel like they have to cheat in order to be competitive, to survive, or to succeed.  It is not only simply wrong of us to engage in this, but it is destructive to our self-esteem, our relationships, and our society and country.  I for one truly believe that honesty really is the best policy.

And with that, I’d like to encourage you to join me in making a commitment to make the world a better place; by nurturing a spirit of honesty and integrity within yourself.  After all, What is your integrity worth?