Bunker Mulligan "Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry." ~Mark Twain

March 17, 2004

Cash & Kerry

Filed under: Politics — Bunker @ 7:47 pm

Robert James Bidinotto is a writer who follows ecological issues, mostly. He has a 3-part series on the Heinz Connection that is a must read. For the most part, it is now old news. But some of his analysis covers some territory you may not have seen. This link takes you to Part I, Part Deux, and Part Trois.

He also has a post regarding Dane Geld as it applies today.

Campaign Finance Reform has brought us elections where only the wealthy have a voice. Isn’t that what it was supposed to prevent?

Tipped off by John Ray.

Separation…

Filed under: Society-Culture — Bunker @ 1:13 pm

I haven’t verified all these, but thought them interesting enough to post:

Alabama 1901, Preamble. We the people of the State of Alabama, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution…

Alaska 1956, Preamble. We, the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land…

Arizona 1911, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution…

Arkansas 1874, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Arkansas, grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government…

California 1879, Preamble. We, the People of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom …

Colorado 1876, Preamble. We, the people of Colorado, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of Universe…

Connecticut 1818, Preamble. The People of Connecticut, acknowledging with gratitude the good Providence of God in permitting them to enjoy …

Delaware 1897, Preamble. Through Divine Goodness all men have, by nature, the rights of worshipping and serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences …

Florida 1885, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Florida, grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty . establish this Constitution…

Georgia 1777, Preamble. We, the people of Georgia, relying upon protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution…

Hawaii 1959, Preamble. We, the people of Hawaii, Grateful for Divine Guidance … establish this Constitution.

Idaho 1889, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Idaho, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings ..

Illinois 1870, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Illinois, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.

Indiana 1851, Preamble. We, the People of the State of Indiana, grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to chose our form of government…

Iowa 1857, Preamble. We, the People of the State of Iowa, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of these blessings … establish this Constitution

Kansas 1859, Preamble. We, the people of Kansas, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges … establish this Constitution.

Kentucky 1891, Preamble. We, the people of the Commonwealth of grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties…

Louisiana 1921, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Louisiana, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy…

Maine 1820, Preamble. We the People of Maine .. acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity … and imploring His aid and direction.

Maryland 1776, Preamble. We, the people of the state of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God or our civil and religious liberty…

Massachusetts 1780, Preamble. We…the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe … in the course of His Providence, an opportunity…and devoutly imploring His direction …

Michigan 1908, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Michigan, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom … establish this Constitution.

Minnesota 1857, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings…

Mississippi 1890, Preamble. We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work…

Missouri 1845, Preamble. We, the people of Missouri, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness … establish this Constitution …

Montana 1889, Preamble. We, the people of Montana, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty. establish this Constitution…

Nebraska 1875, Preamble. We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom . establish this Constitution .

Nevada 1864, Preamble. We the people of the State of Nevada, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom establish this Constitution…

New Hampshire 1792, Part I. Art. I. Sec. V. Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience.

New Jersey 1844, Preamble. We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors …

New Mexico 1911, Preamble. We, the People of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty …

New York 1846, Preamble. We, the people of the State of New York, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings…

North Carolina 1868, Preamble. We the people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for our civil, political, and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the continuance of those …

North Dakota 1889, Preamble. We, the people of North Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do ordain…

Ohio 1852, Preamble. We the people of the state of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and to promote our common …

Oklahoma 1907, Preamble. Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessings of liberty … establish this …

Oregon 1857, Bill of Rights, Article I. Section 2. All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences..

Pennsylvania 1776, Preamble. We, the people of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance…

Rhode Island 1842, Preamble. We the People of the State of Rhode Island grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing …

South Carolina, 1778, Preamble. We, the people of he State of South Carolina, grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this Constitution.

South Dakota 1889, Preamble. We, the people of South Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for our civil! and religious liberties … establish this…

Tennessee 1796, Art. XI.III. That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their conscience…

Texas 1845, Preamble. We the People of the Republic of Texas, acknowledging, with gratitude, the grace and beneficence of God.

Utah 1896, Preamble. Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we establish this Constitution ..

Vermont 1777, Preamble. Whereas all government ought to … enable the individuals who compose it to enjoy their natural rights, and other blessings which the Author of Existence has bestowed on man…

Virginia 1776, Bill of Rights, XVI … Religion, or the Duty which we owe our Creator … can be directed only by Reason … and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other …

Washington 1889, Preamble. We the People of the State of Washington, grateful! to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution …

West Virginia 1872, Preamble. Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia .. reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God…

Wisconsin 1848, Preamble. We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, domestic tranquility …

Wyoming 1890, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Wyoming, grateful to God for our civil, political, and religious liberties … establish this Constitution…

After reviewing acknowledgments of God from all 50 state constitutions, one is faced with the prospect that maybe, just maybe, the ACLU and the out-of-control federal courts are wrong!

Somewhere along the way, the Federal Courts and the Supreme Court have misinterpreted the U. S. Constitution. How could fifty States be wrong?

“Those people who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants.” William Penn

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Predator

Filed under: Politics — Bunker @ 11:40 am

Today all the news relates to a video of someone purported to be Osama bin Laden. The videos were taken from a Predator drone flying over his compound in Afghanistan in late 2000. Now all the Monday morning quarterbacks are complaining that Clinton should have launched an attack to kill or capture him.

I agree that should have been done. But it is of no value now to discuss it unless people are willing to commit to doing such things in the future, and the discussion becomes one of how best do we accomplish such operations. That is something that needs to be discussed in secret.

Before you criticize Clinton on this single incident, you must consider the circumstances. There were no forces immediately prepared to act. The Clinton policy was to capture bin Laden and bring him to trial. You may disagree with the policy, but at the time and with that Administration, nothing else could have been done.

It is now easy to say what should have been done. But before anyone says we’ve learned from those mistakes, you must remember that we have an election this year. And a large group of people want us to return to precisely that policy. Would Bush have handled it any differently at that time? I don’t know. But I do expect he’d handle it differently now. Would Kerry have handled it differently then? I doubt it. But, more important, I don’t know whether he’d do things differently now.

Remember, the attacks on this country changed things drastically. I believe if Clinton had been given this opportunity to get bin Laden after such attacks he might very well have taken it. I know Bush would. And that, my friends, is a huge difference.

March 16, 2004

Don’t drink that!

Filed under: Society-Culture — Bunker @ 4:23 pm

Greg had a link to this story, and I stole it.

Aliso Viejo, California, was planning to ban foam cups because they were made with the chemical compund dihydrogen monoxide. They were concerned it was “a substance that could threaten human health and safety.”

New Pictures

Filed under: General Rants — Bunker @ 11:29 am

Posted some photos from Birdie on his page last night.

Texas on My Mind

Filed under: Society-Culture — Bunker @ 6:24 am

John Ray keeps a very active site Down Under. Instead of comments for each posts, he maintains three pages of letters from readers. Today he had one from Keith Burgess Jackson, a professor at the University of Texas in Arlington.

Jackson is a transplant from Michigan, and has come to love Texas after first hating it. I think that happens often. I’ve known many people who moved here, disgusted at first, then proud to be a part of us. As the ads say, Texas is like a whole ‘nother country.

My brother-in-law lives in Boise, and follows the Boise State football team closely. Last season they ended up playing a bowl game in Fort Worth against TCU. Many of the BSU fans had conversations with TCU fans on the internet prior to making the trip. They were shocked that the TCU folks would invite them to cookouts and tailgate parties. Where was the fierce animosity of football fans everywhere? They were so nice.

I told him there is nobody who takes football more seriously than Texans. Friday nights see staudia packed in towns large and small. But it is, after all, only football. Fans in Texas are enemies only for the duration of the game. After that, they can all go out for a beer together.

Bogey and the missus are Cornell University graduates. Bogey grew up in New York. I always introduce him as my son-in-law, the hairy New Yorker. He always responds that he wasn’t born in Texas, but got here as quickly as he could. I’m sure they miss friends and family up north, but both seem to have found a place they enjoy, with plenty around that interests them.

I’ve lived many places in this world. I’ve found something good about every country I’ve visited. But I can’t think of any country I’d rather be in than the US, except Texas.

March 15, 2004

Golf again

Filed under: Golf — Bunker @ 7:07 pm

Okay, I promised a review of the latest golf book, A Golfer’s Education.

Darren Kilfara, an avid golfer and member of Harvard’s golf team, had a terrific idea I wish I’d thought of: Spend a year as an exchange student studying his senior thesis at the University of St. Andrews. He had just spent a semester as an intern at Golf Digest, and had the opportunity to help fund this education by writing several articles for them while in Scotland.

I had read a review on the book after I started into it, and the review derided it as a compilation of shot-by-shot descriptions of Darren’s rounds. It isn’t. Not even close. I can only think that the reviewer isn’t a golfer, and he expected far more culture shock. Much of the book is devoted to course descriptions, from a course architecture perspective, and maybe that was the reviewer’s complaint.

Actually, the book covers Darren’s full range of experiences in Scotland. His social and student life, the relationship with other golfers and Scottish courses, and meeting Heather. He involved himself as totally as he could in student life and the St Andrews culture, playing in a brass band, and on the soccer team.

But, yes, most of it related back to golf and the Old Course at St. Andrews. One thing that struck me was his self-assessment after almost a year. He dreaded being paired with fellow Americans:

Unfortunately, in my quest to disassociate myself from my more obnoxious countrymen, I became something worse: a cultural snob. I came to believe that most Americans were beneath me, and that Scottish simplicity was in all aspects superior to American brashness.

Wow. Does that not define many people, those we simply declare to be America haters?

The book describes golf as a pasttime in Scotland, with course access considered a birthright. Courses, including the Old Course, are treated as public parks with people on picnics and kids throwing balls competing for space with golfers. And yet, there are many Scots who have never played the game, nor care to. Kilfara covers it all. I didn’t come away with a great respect for the author, but a respect for his topic. Worth reading.

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