A Wedding Present for Adam and Stacy

 

TIME

 

When you're a young you never think about Time. The supply seems endless and, when you think there is an endless supply of anything, you take it for granted. At the very most, in your misguided desire to grow up quickly, you may ponder why Time doesn't move faster, but that's about it.

 The value of, and the way you think about, Time changes as one grows older. Days that used to seem to go on forever are now over before you know it. And the years flash by the way they once showed the passage of Time in the movies. There might be a shot of a steam engine barreling down the tracks, smoke billowing from its stack, and imposed upon that image would be a shot of a calendar with its monthly pages flying off.

 I am reasonably certain that Time, at least on Earth, is fairly constant and there are few things that better-prove that assertion than a good, old, faithful clock. I'm partial to Vienna Regulators, myself. Like this one. They take a bit of TLC to keep them running but, in return, they provide a life-time of steady tick tocks as well as their incredibly consistent and lovely chimes. This happens to be a Blind Man's Clock which chimes every quarter-hour, so it may take awhile to get used to. I promise, however, that after awhile you won't even hear it, unless you're listening for it. Why is it called a Blind Man's Clock? Well, it's hard to find but there is a special wire that, when pulled, replays the last quarter-hour that was chimed. So, even should you lose your sight, you will still know what Time it is. At least to the quarter-hour.

Having had this great timepiece a long time, I can't think of a better use for it than being part of you and Stacy's life, together.

 With much love,

 Pop and Pat                

 

A Thanksgiving Letter To My Kids

 

To Rachel and Adam, Thanksgiving Day, 2009. A day that begs the question, for what am I thankful?

 

Certainly, the two of you and the pride I feel in being partly responsible for your being here vie for the top of the list. I regret that our time together, when you were growing up, was so short and I'm sure that's why I treasure the memories from those years so much. I'm thankful that all of us, both of you, MariJane, Pat and myself, have managed to turn what was, at the time, a very sour lemon into lemonade.

I'm thankful to have had the good fortune of growing up with Mom and Dad, Bob, Ed and Jannelle. I didn't know enough to appreciate it then but, looking back, it was a great family. With Mom, the congenital liberal, on one end of the dinner table and Dad, the conservative rock, on the other end, it was a rare dinner that bored any of us. Yes, Ed had his problems but I've never known a better brain than his to bounce ideas off of. I miss him. And what I wouldn't give to spend another day with Mom and Dad. There's so much I'd like to talk with them about and so many questions I'd like to ask. I hope they knew I loved them because I was never very good at verbalizing such things. Hey, if this is starting to sound a little maudlin, don't worry. I'm not planning on cashing in my chips any time soon. I'm in great health .... for my age. And that's something else to be thankful for!

If the two of you only vie for the top spot on my list of things to be thankful for, it's only because nothing could be more important to me than my great, dumb luck of having been born an American. Does that sound corny? Maybe, but it's true, nonetheless. Some would ask why I feel that way and I would answer that it is the freedom we enjoy, and take for granted every day, that makes everything else, the kind of life I want to live, possible. I am thankful that there was that group of brilliant men 233 years ago who risked everything to create a form of government, the first in human history, based on the revolutionary concept of Individual Liberty. Freedom. Before that moment, man had always been only a 'subject' who's existence depended on the whims, good, bad and very bad, of a top-dog; be it a king, chief, pope, high-priest, dictator, furor, or any of the other tyrants who are wont to grab the reins of power.

The Founders knew that what they had created was unique and that it would be forever at risk because so many were, and always would be, hostile to the idea that an individual should be free. They warned us of the  dangers ahead: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety", B. Franklin, "Eternal Vigilance is the Price of liberty", T. Jefferson.

It will be no surprise to either of you that I think we have not been "vigilant" enough. And, that explains your Christmas presents this year. It was late in my life when I came to appreciate and love American History. Actually, driving a school bus is something else I'm thankful for because, with all the sitting-around-time, it has given me time to read a lot of books I'd never read, before. You have both studied a lot more history than I will ever know but I think there's a difference in classroom learning and what you pick up on your own. So, your Christmas presents this year are my way of trying to kindle, or rekindle, your interest in what I think we all should all be very thankful for.

Jenny

If there is a God, I do not envy Him. Not if his duties include determining when it is that we make our exit from this mortal stage. It has been a tough and sad week at our house. Our dear Jenny, who so graciously has shared her life with us for nearly eighteen years, has been waiting patiently, and with great dignity, to make that final exit. It came today at 11:50 AM, Saturday, April 13, 2013.

We loved Jenny very much and did not want her to suffer because of our selfish unwillingness to say Good bye. However, determining when she should make her exit, playing God, was a role too far for both Pat and me. We can only hope that we played our roles adequately and did not make her wait too long.   

If there is a Heaven, and what a nice surprise that would be, we know that Jenny is there, now, digging holes in the back yard and running playfully in the new-fallen snow.

Farewell Jenny. You were a dear and faithful friend and we will miss you very much..

         

The Road Less Traveled

Politicians make names for themselves by putting their name on, and passing, new laws. There is no similar incentive for them to get rid of old laws that are either bad law or laws that have outlived their usefulness. Here is a suggestion for any politician who has the courage to "follow the road less traveled."

Would some legislator please propose a new law that will require that two old laws be stricken from the books for every new law past. Better yet, since laws are now written too long and too complicated for any normal person to read and understand, why not have the new law say that for every new word added to our collection of laws two words must be stricken from the laws that are currently on the books.

This would seem to do two good things: (1) It would provide an incentive to get rid of old or bad laws and (2), over time, it would give us laws that are shorter and easier to read and understand.

He, or she, who proposes such a law will get my vote.

Dick Mueller

Omaha, NE

 

"Forgive them Father for they know not what they do."

"Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do."

I believe the word "revenge" explains the election. If Mr. Romney had used it he would have been disqualified. Not held to such standards, Mr. Obama was given a pass.  

What does the word mean? "To inflict punishment for an injury or insult. To seek or take vengeance. To inflict injury, harm, humiliation on a person by another who has been harmed by that person."

 But revenge on who? And for what? I suggest that it is revenge on everything that makes up or maintains the Civil Society. From the concepts of Individual Sovereignty and Responsibility to the family, marriage, private property rights and the notion that life is precious, all are attacked. From The Founding Fathers and the evil color of their skin to The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, religions, civic clubs and even the Boy Scouts, all are mocked and denigrated. Why? Because the attackers, the mobs at the gates, want to destroy the fabric that is America.

Most people are unaware of the destruction they are participating in. But the Marxists among us know exactly what they are doing. They are committed to the belief  that the existing society must be destroyed so that they can, then, build their Workers' Paradise upon its ashes.

What has our form of government done to warrant the peoples' revenge? Surely, providing them with the greatest freedom on earth, allowing them to pursue their own version of happiness, should not warrant revenge. The truth is, too many know too little about America, her history, and what she stands for. But when it comes to teaching American History, ignorance is what our public schools are very good at producing. Not only do they not teach the truths of our Founding, they have done, and continue to do, great damage to our understanding of and appreciation for that unique event in human history.

So, regarding those responsible for teaching America's history to each new generation, do not forgive them Father, for they know exactly what they are doing.    

 

THIS IS INSANE

Two kids on the school bus, today. I picked them up within walking distance of two elementary schools and drove them to their assigned elementary school on the other side of town. The total distance was approximately 16 miles. They will need another bus ride to get home so let's say 32 for the day.

The bus gets about 9 miles to the gallon and diesel is about $4 per gallon. So: Cost of driver, about $40, plus cost of fuel, about $15, adds up to about $55 which comes out to about $27.50 per student - each day. And that doesn't include anything for the bus, the company, the insurance, etc.

The reason for this insanity? I think it's the same reason that we have such insane health care costs, today - NOBODY CARES WHAT IT COSTS BECAUSE NOBODY KNOWS WHO'S PAYING THE BILL. If those who used the service had to pay the bill these bus rides would stop. IMMEDIATELY! And I read, the other day, that the top man at Omaha Public Schools, the man in charge of busing, was paid $425,000.00 for his services last year.

QUESTION: Do you think the good PhD would still have his job if OPS was a business? I think not!