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Monday, February 04, 2013
Who Were the Geniuses Who Came Up With That One?
First, they will nuke their own grassroots by raising money to attack deviant Tea Party candidates and protect true conservatives who support amnesty, tax shelters and tax hikes. Considering that the Tea Party was responsible for the first Republican victories since 2004, spending money going after it is bound to attract voters and improve prospects for more victories in 2014.
Second, they will add 11 million Democratic voters to the rolls through amnesty for illegal aliens as part of a brilliant plan to stop being a national party and settle down to fighting pitched battles for local council seats. Even the geniuses behind the election polling and ORCA should be able to win a few those. And if they can't, then it'll be time to raise more money to keep down some of those pesky Tea Party types trying to run for school boards while saying politically incorrect things.
Fortunately there is a clear path to victory. All we have to do is convince the Party of Consultants that all is lost and that they should come out as Democrats now. If they do that, then the Democratic Party will be a useless ruin within a decade. If they don't do that, the Republican Party will have the same policies as the Democratic Party, except for the part where it wins elections.
The establishment wanted Romney in '12. And they got him. They assured us that he was the only electable candidate. And when he lost, they told us that he didn't fail, the country failed him. And if a campaign built on Staples couldn't catch fire, it must have been due to the descent of the country into a nation of takers.
And they have a plan for '16. They'll run an immigration friendly candidate like Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio to win the Latino vote. Sure, Rubio lost the non-Cuban Latino vote in Florida, and unless the entire population of Cuba gets imported to the United States and legalized between now and '16, he'll only win, at best, as much of the Latino vote as Bush did, or as Rick Perry did, which isn't enough to win an election, especially once you've legalized the 10 percent of Mexico that lives north of the Rio Grande. But after they blow that one, the geniuses will step up to the plate and blame the Tea Party for a loss by another of their perfect candidates because during the primaries Rubio or Bush was forced to disavow Amnesty II or Amnesty III.
The Republican Party of '12 looks a lot like the Democratic Party of '88. It's outdated and running on fumes. All its slogans are tired and its leaders seem completely out of touch. Even the most unfair attacks stick to it, because it has no momentum. It isn't going anywhere because it's enclosed in a shell of outdated ideas and tired figures from its past who prevent anyone from coming to the fore. That same state of affairs led to the unlikely candidacy of Bill Clinton among the Democrats, but assuming that an obscure southern governor will battle his way through the Republican primaries to reveal a talent for national politics may be hoping for too much. And if he did, the establishment would spend their cash reserves to crush him in favor of a reliable choice like Paul Tsongas.
It didn't have to be this way. The Tea Party gave the GOP a shot in the arm. Suddenly it was acting and thinking like a revolutionary party. There were ideas in the air, energy on the ground and anger coalescing into action. And then it all got shut down for four months of infomercials about Staples because the establishment had gotten what it wanted and decided to play it safe before the big game.
The Republican Party has no ideas. Its only ideas involve deciding which liberal platform to "evolve" its way up to and how to sell that "evolution" to the base. And a lack of ideas comes from a lack of beliefs.
There comes a time in every struggle when a man wonders why he's doing this. And if the only answer is to win, then he isn't really fighting for anything. He's being competitive. Or he's fighting to make money. Or because it's all he knows. All three attributes describe the Republican Party now. Its leadership does not believe in anything. It believes in winning in that abstract corporate competitive way. It doesn't really know why it's fighting though, except that the other guys will make a mess.
Going after the Tea Party is sound strategy for the establishment, not from the standpoint of winning elections, but of keeping their jobs. If you lose, then you need someone to blame. The establishment is protecting its scalps by claiming the scalps of the reformers who might give them the boot. That's one way of winning a circular firing squad. And of losing all the elections that follow.
Without ideas or beliefs, the Republican Party stands for very little except being the Party of Staples, and while Staples seems like a very nice store, it's not really enough to base a whole country on. If the United States is to be reduced to a superstore full of office supplies, then America is no more exceptional than a stack of writing paper, four rulers and some office furniture shoddily made in a factory in some polluted Chinese megalopolis.
As the Staples Party, the Republicans are interested in importing more cheap labor into the country. It may not be good for the country, but it is good for the people who sign their checks and that's good enough. And if Amnesty destroys the Republican Party, then they'll find someone else to make their checks out to. Influence can always be bought, even in totalitarian countries, ethics and ideas cannot.
The Republican Party is an organization at war with its base. The Republican leadership and its backers think big. Their base thinks small. That inability to think small, to echo the concerns of ordinary people lost two elections. Reagan and Bush won, in no small part, because they appeared to be part of the small world of ordinary people. They shared their culture and concerns. They gave signs of being able to think small, and though the media ridiculed them for it as buffoons and dopes, Bonzo and the Bushisms had the last laugh. But that sensibility never sank into the leadership.
The establishment has failed to come to terms with the fact that the GOP cannot be a party of urban liberals and has been the exact opposite of that for some time. It can't even be the party of wealthy people who live in liberal areas and agree with liberals on many things, except national defense and excessive regulation. The Republican Party can either become one with its base, or it can either try beating it off with a stick some more while waiting around for Meghan McCain to deliver the new hip conservative movement.
The Democratic Party knows who its base is. Its goal in office is to expand that base while shrinking its opposition. That is why it wants Amnesty. If the average illegal alien was likely to turn into a Republican voter, the entire Mexican border would have been irradiated and pop stars would be recording videos urging their fans to turn in any illegal aliens on their block. And that is because the Democrats may be evil, they may even be incompetent outside their conspiracy and campaign zones, but they aren't stupid.
The Republican Party has no interest in doing things like that. The very accusation will lead to a dozen rebuttals in the form of editorials, radio commentaries and skywriting efforts. Instead they will get behind Amnesty to show just how uncommitted it is to any base, except the Democratic base in the world's most elaborate suicide attempt.
What the GOP leadership fails to understand that a party without a base is a big empty hall. You can get the checks that will allow you to rent the space, you can order up a band and ask them to play a song, but if no one shows up, then you don't have a concert or a dance. All you have is an empty hall.
The Republican Party has spent so much time trying to win over swing voters that it has lost sight of the fact that it is presiding over an empty hall, a vast echoing space in which nothing is happening. The Tea Party may be the last hope of the GOP, its final chance to connect with a base, gain some fresh energy and ideas, and emerge in fighting shape in '14 and '16. And if it can't do that, then there's always room on the standup comedy circuit of the big empty hall.
24 comments:
- Anonymous said...
so who do you like in 2016? (besides michelle obama)
-- spanky
- 4/2/13
- Gayle said...
As a conservative, I've given up on national politics. It's been corrupted beyond repair, by both parties.
Conservatives - and all concerned Americans - need to turn their attention to "the several states" - those powers envisioned by the founders to offset an overweening central federal power, such as has happened today.
The states are our last bastion of freedom.
I would urge all conservatives to get involved in their state's politics. Join your state's (NOT THE NATIONAL) GOP, find tea-parties local to you (freedomworks is good for this) and work to strengthen your state against the coming Federal encroachment. Because make no mistake... it is coming.
Nullification, states' rights... terms you'll hear more often in the days ahead. Get involved.
A great organization for learning more: http://tenthamendmentcenter.com/
- 5/2/13
- George J. said...
Yeah, it's pretty bleak.
Republicans are chasing ghosts - elusive mythical creatures that are believed to exist somewhere, who are oh so close to voting Republican, if it only wasn't for a policy tweak here, and a policy teak there, and a bit of a reversal of core values here and there.
They ignore the fact that most people who vote Democrat will not vote Republican. Makes no difference what policy changes the Republican party makes, what Black/Latino/etc. candidates they run or even how badly the Democrats screw up. It's a secular religious issue, basically. Just like global warming and multiculturalism and diversity and all the other nitwit ideas that have been propagated into the mass media culture until they are the orthodoxy of the day.
Run a black candidate? - Uncle Tom, race traitor.
Change your stance to win over Democrat-leaning zombies, errr, voters? - Nice try, silly rabbit!! Can't out-Liberal a Liberal. (Daniel has a piece on exactly this)
And in the process of trying to appease the spectre that is the Progressive, all you will do is alienate and lose the people who you should have focused on in the first place - Conservative Americans.
- 5/2/13
- Meira Lettieri Kingberg said...
Couldn't have said it better, although I tried many times. I even suggested that another revolution might be necessary but everyone kept insisting that Romney was the only one who could prevent another Obama term because he was electable and a vote for a more competent candidate was actually a vote for Obamination. I'm glad I live in Israel. You guys are in big trouble and I'm not even sure you realize how bad it is.
- 5/2/13
- Anonymous said...
When will it be seen and understood that Marco Rubio is not eligible to run for office such as president... Along with a copy of a [well-read and studied]Constitution, obtain the Federalist Papers and become conscientious students. The most effective prescription..
- 5/2/13
- AG said...
I said from the beginning that it never made sense for the Left to Demonize the TEA Party. The Democrats owe their majority in the Senate, and the numbers they have in the Congress to the TEA Party. One of the TEA Party's first platforms and slogans was "Vote the BUMS Out!" They made a real conscious effort to get rid of incumbents that had been rotting in Federal offices for far too long, and in many places their efforts primaried out a lot of entrenched establishment Republicans, and opened the door for Establishment Democrats to win seats running against amateur politicians.
Of course this ticked off the Establishment Republicans because their absolute power was threatened. This is a good thing in a Democratic society. Problem is, in some cases like the McCain Senatorial election they lost and became discouraged and turned their total focus on Obama.
We need to either reinvigorate the effort to vote the bums out, learn from past mistakes, or we need to split off, leave the Establishment Rovian Republicans to die off slowly, and start our own party, or possibly join the Conservative Party USA that already is partly established.
- 5/2/13
- Joan of Argghh! said...
While Reince and Rove fight for the wheel of the hearse, the DNC hires young people to work "small" campaigns, pays them enough to live on, and creates jobs and endless loyalty.
The RNC has NEVER invested in the future. Ever. It's never put money on the street, in the schools, in the neighborhoods. #ItsDeadJim
- 5/2/13
- Joan of Argghh! said...
The DNC is where the jobs are. You think Rove doesn't know this?
- 5/2/13
- Edward Cline said...
A fine drawing and quartering of the Republicans and their "no win" strategy and their targeting the Tea Party for termination. It reminded me of the cautionary note to Mr. Phelps of "Mission Impossible" -- Should any of your party be killed or captured, we will disavow any knowledge of your actions. Spiffing. Mr. Phelps should've asked himself: Then why are we doing this?
- 5/2/13
- Daniel Greenfield said...
Joan, very true. The GOP does not work with people.
- 5/2/13
- We're All Criminals Now said...
Democrats are the party of the enemy;
Republicans are the party of traitors.
Reality is Racist.
- 5/2/13
- Anonymous said...
Bravo Sir!
- 5/2/13
- Tex Taylor said...
Excellent article and I agree with what you wrote. But my comment takes it a step farther and Gayle above touched on this subject.
At present, the Tea Party by itself cannot win a nation wide office. I am no official Tea Party member but they still seem to be close to my wishes - therefore, I'll consider myself a member by default.
Contrary to Karl Rove's belief, I think the Tea Party will win the day, one day. Not just the Republican Party, but the nation. However, perhaps not for the same reasons many here do.
This nation is going to see some very dark days ahead, and no matter how the media spins, no matter how many sycophants for Obama step up to the mic and say it is George Bush's fault, no matter how much the propaganda is sung, there will be no hiding a financial collapse which is imminent.
That America is greatly deceived as evident by this last election is still no reason to market like the Democratic Party. Having no principles, standards, or truth, dependent upon spin is not a long-term winning formula and certainly no way to run a country.
I would suggest the Tea Party focus at present at the local level. Because when the tsunami comes, these millions of rubes are going to get an epiphany. And many will be looking for someone with principles, standards, and truth.
Patience is a virtue and the Tea Party's day will come, with or without Karl Rove and Co.
- 5/2/13
- Anonymous said...
Crickets and tumble weeds on this. I have no idea what is going on in American politics. I don't want to get involved in any particular good American organization. Organizations scare me. I've seen enough of it offline to be almost utterly turned off by it. I think that pretty applies to all political parties and manufactured "grassroots" political parties.
I'd much rather be a word of mouth sort of good American.
Keliata, leery of political organizations of all types:(
- 5/2/13
- elaine said...
Mr. Rove... that's why you're considered some kind of evil genius. Only you could think that cannibalizing and marginalizing your base and knifing them in the back will somehow help you and your establishment buddies win elections. Because heaven forbid you have the "wrong" kind of people vote for your precious candidates. So, yeah... how about no one voting for them?
If anyone has any doubts that the GOP establishment and the democrats are on the same side, I think they've been utterly refuted now.
So let's recap: you and I are crazy, because we believe in "extreme" concepts like not spending more than you take in and personal liberty and other scary stuff like that; but Mr. Rove and his ilk are completely "moderate" because they believe in...um... er... um... well,... nothing, really. They don't even believe in winning elections if it means having to share the spotlight with a bunch of redneck, "domestic terrorist," tea party extremists.
How about this idea? How about we form our own little party which stands in stark contrast with what both the democrats AND the establishment GOP and see which one the masses support, shall we?
- 6/2/13
- Anonymous said...
"Mr. Rove and his ilk are completely "moderate" because they believe in...um... er... um... well,... nothing, really"
Quite true Elaine. In fact I think that might be a small part of Netanyahu's inefftiveness in Israel. Not the chief call but certainly some of it.
There's a time and a place to meet in the middle but there's also a time when people need and must break ties with the establishment.
- 6/2/13
- Anonymous said...
- 6/2/13
- LEL said...
Karl Rove is a clown.
- 7/2/13
- msbiz said...
THANK YOU, AG...for the comment and suggestion regarding the Conservative Party. I have a loyal following of Patriots who, like me, have been seeking a "new home" for our energies, our money and our votes...this party may just fit the bill. I've been reading about them and especially their Board and, so far, like what I see. thank, again!
- 7/2/13
- Reg said...
Don't call it "amnesty". It's a GIFT.
Real amnesty still respects the law. This mocks it.
- 10/2/13
- Jack said...
As I see it, it's basically pretty much about race.
There's white men, and the white women married to them.
And then there's everyone else, who resent whites, or men, or successful people, or straight people.
When married working white men and their wives made up the overwhelming majority of the population, conservatism was powerful. But they made the fatal mistake of agreeing with white leftists to be "fair" and do things like expand the vote to women, give the vote to more children (under 21), ignore race in immigration, and give amnesties to brown illegals. That was the fatal error, made out of a sense of trying to do the right thing.
And now the married, working white men and their wives are outnumbered by resentful groups that are demographically growing faster than they are, with no sign of that changing.
So the Republican organization, which is made up of people who want to win elections, naturally is scrambling to find a way to appeal to more people than married working white men and their wives. You can't blame them...their motivation is power and money, not principle...same as the people who run the Democratic organization.
So for us married working white men, there is no reason to vote for Republicans. We have to hunker down and wait until the hardship that is going to come from living in a brown, socialist country hardens enough of our kind to spark a revolution. Meanwhile, speed it along by not voting Republican. Since we can no longer win elections - our country having been stolen from us - don't legitimize them by participating in them. At this point, worse is better because it makes things bad faster for us.
- 10/2/13
- Dan Kurt said...
The Tea Party's Day will never come. What the Tea Party represents is the last act of the white race in the USA. Have you seen the age of those whites at a Tea Party meeting? Old and feeble describes those attending.
Whites are not reproducing. The Republicans want to "Amnesty" 10 million Mexicans and increase "Legal Immigration" from 100 thousand per month to 200 thousand per month and virtually none of them will be white. The Republicans also want to open the country's intellectual jobs to more Asian immigrants in both the universities and industry.
Yes, a day of reckoning is close. Unfortunately its coming will merely mark the end of white America similar to what now exists in South Africa where whites are being slowly killed off or driven out.
The question remains: will there be a second act for whites?
Dan Kurt
- 10/2/13
- Gould K.L. Brownlee said...
Ha ha. Very nice analysis of the GOP. They have been infected by the Leftist pathology, and, therefore they have become mentally ill; totally unable to perceive reality. In fact the Leftist pathology forces the infected to actually define reality as the very opposite of true reality; cowardice is courage; sullen alienation is transcendent happiness; lies are truth; justified self defense is murder; evil is good; etc. As carriers of the Leftist pathology, all the Democrats can do now is lie with varying degrees of skill. I think Obonzo, in particular, is too stupid and childish to reliably lie. Biden and Gore resemble babbling street loonies.
I've noticed that the "American Conservative" reflects the Leftist infection of the GOP. AmCon used to be a useful group of true conservatives. They weren't as good as Vdare or American Renaissance, but they were on our side. Now, except for being anti-war, AmCon is just as deluded and evil as The Nation or The National Review or The New York Times.
Their redefining of conservatism so that it is indistinguishable from the lively, vibrant, diverse, Leftist pathology is deadly serious, but it reads just like The Onion to those who haven't been infected with politically-correct pathogens.
In the past month The "AC" ran a story "celebrating" the hostile invasion and infestation of the U.S. by third-world savages and affirmative-action parasites because they might just some day vote antiwar. Good lord. I thought for sure this was just clumsy sarcasm, but no, they actually think our little brown and black brothers will save us from ourselves and that this is a marvelous development. Kumbaya.
Another imbecile over there, a Leon Hadar, actually seems to think that our affirmative-action-parasite-in-chief, Obonzo, is a "Republican Realist." That is the raving of a madman. It would be hilarious if it wasn't such a disgusting lie and pitiful symptom of cowardice.
Hadar has made a cowardly surrender to Leftist tyranny, but he doesn't have the honesty to admit it. He would have us believe he is still some kind of conservative. What he is, by definition, is mentally ill; unable to perceive or act on reality.
The American Conservative has made The Onion redundant. The GOP has made itself redundant.
Oh well. The Left has finally succeeded in destroying the U.S. economy, so the multicultural, affirmative-action parasites will no longer have a host to feed off of in the very near future. What will happen next? Who knows? Whatever happens, Whites will come out on top just as they always have.
- 12/2/13
- dfp21 said...
Everyone complains, but nobody proposes specific changes to law or regulations the base might want. Anybody? Bueller?
- 18/2/13


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Woetoo Maia 0.56 Base Gamma
This one is just a variation on Base Beta. A small base intended to see if the colonist food issues have truely gone away.
Youtube link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu5jk9puhNg
Savegame files : https://www.dropbox.com/s/m6pss7qo1jfo0 ... a.zip?dl=0
Two main notes are colonists still died and seemed to not want to use the first workshop table I built.
Save1 is an attempt to figure out why colonists use one workshop table but not the other.
Save2 is due to food being available for picking in hydroponics, but colonists are still hungry.
It should be noted that Simon put out a note on steam about an hour ago saying plans to deploy another hotfix this afternoon to address the colonists walking through walls.
He also just mentioned on IRC that one of the changes he's making means that save files from before this hotfix won't work. So it's possible the save files I've attached won't work within a few hours.
[Testing 0.56] Video bug report. Base Gamma.
Talk about the game
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subset: commoncrawl


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telescopes - Is it possible to make a hydrogen-alpha solar scope?
Is the construction of an etalon / Fabry-Pérot interferometer within the reach of amateur telescope makers? Are there any resources pointing to such projects?
3 Answers
If it exists, some ATM somewhere has probably attempted it! The two main manufacturers of solar telescopes, Coronado and Lunt, both started out as small mom-and-pop operations, so I think building an etalon is well within ATM capabilities.
You can buy etalons on eBay cheap, they even have some 1" 1047nm for $35 now. I am a holographer, and I know how to use these in a laser. What confuses me is how they are used in a telescope with converging, rather than parallel rays. Can you just put mylar and a long pass filter (maybe a couple lighting gels) in front, place the etalon on a gimbal mount in the path, and put a camera on the end?
vol. 3 of the Amateur Telescope Making series has details on how to build a narrow-band filter for solar observations.
I did not attempt to build it myself, but looks very interesting.


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A season of promise for the Washington Redskins has taken a cruel turn with injuries to Brian Orakpo and Adam Carriker on defense.
Redskins coach Mike Shanahan confirmed Monday that Orakpo, his star outside linebacker, tore his left pectoral in Sunday's 31-28 loss to the St. Louis Rams.
Relive every game this season online and on-demand with enhanced viewing features, including the "All-22" coaches film. Get NFL Game Rewind.
Carriker, the sixth-year defensive end, suffered a quad tendon tear and won't see the field again in 2012. Both players are scheduled to undergo surgery this week.
The news is especially painful for Orakpo, whose 2011 season was cut short with a similar injury. He aggravated the pectoral muscle again during the preseason and never appeared 100 percent healthy.
Sunday's setback was initially viewed as a week-to-week situation, but the Redskins now must move forward without their most dynamic pass rusher.
"He can do it all," Shanahan said of Orakpo. He's everything you look at in a Pro Bowl linebacker."
Shanahan, forced to turn the page, named backup defensive lineman Chris Baker and practice-squad body Doug Worthington as candidates to step into a larger role in Carriker's absence.
Rob Jackson and Chris Wilson will fight for time at outside linebacker, but the falloff from Orakpo is mountain-side steep.
This is a devastating loss for the Redskins, who now pick up the pieces of their shattered front seven on the heels of losing a heartbreaker to the Rams.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.


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Marita Hynes Field
Marita Hynes Field at the OU Softball Complex has been one of the sparkling gems of the sport since it opened its doors in 1998.
OU was one of the first schools outside of the Pac 12 to make the commitment to its softball program by building an exclusive facility for the sport. The trend caught on and Oklahoma was again leading the pack in women's athletics as new stadiums have sprung up across the national landscape.
The OU Softball Complex uses a synthetic waterproof dirt on the infield and warning track, which allows Patty Gasso's team to train on the field minutes after a rain storm has moved through.
A recent addition to the facility was a 6,020 square foot indoor facility opened in January 2009. The indoor facility features a 65' x 65' infield with Hilltopper infield dirt and storage for the team and grounds crew. The indoor facility also accommodates four hitting lanes.
The complex provides permanent chair back and bleacher seating with a capacity of 1,378, a concessions building and rest rooms, press box, VIP lounge and a ticket office.
The complex is equipped with a state-of-theart underground drainage system, sprinkler system and batting cages. A paved parking lot was in place in time for the 1999 season and OU added the Robert E. Young & Family Softball Locker Room in 2002. A full-color video scoreboard was added prior to the 2010 season.
Marita Hynes
It's a tough task to find a single individual who has had more effect on the collegiate sport of softball and its rise in popularity than Marita Hynes. The longtime fomer senior woman administrator for Oklahoma actually served as the program's second softball coach. When she retired from coaching to begin a career as an administrator, she remained active in the softball world. She spearheaded the fundraising campaign to build the OU Softball Complex and oversaw its construction. During those years, she helped lure the Women's College World Series to Oklahoma City. For all her contributions to OU and beyond, the athletics department officially christened the playing surface as Marita Hynes Field on April 24, 2004.


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77: Bored with the Internet
|Bored with the Internet
Title text: I used to do this all the time.
A character that has hair (not to be confused with Hairy) suggests to Black Hat that he is wasting his life on the internet and they should go explore the world. They appear to walk a great distance, through what appears to be a swamp or perhaps a forest in winter, across a plain, and down to a river valley. At the last panel they agree to post their journey on Livejournal, thus indicating that they can't get the Internet of their mind.
Livejournal is a website on which users can make accounts and, effectively, blog; although the site is designed around the premise that the blogs ought to be used as personal journals, with the ability to privatize the journal or only let certain friends see certain entries. Livejournal was an early social network and an early blog platform, and was a good way for people to let others know what was going on in their lives. As of 2013, Livejournal still exists; although sites like Facebook have become far more powerful and popular sites for sharing one's daily life.
Unlike in most of his appearances (especially later ones), Black Hat does not exhibit any of his signature like at "72: Classhole ".
The title text suggests that Randall similarly thinks about being on his computer while out doing other things.
- [Black Hat and Hair are talking in a room with a computer on.]
- Hairy: I feel like I'm wasting my life on the internet. Let's walk around the world.
- Black Hat: Sounds good.
- [The two men are shown walking through trees.]
- [The two men are shown walking on flat stretch, with mountains in the distance.]
- [The two men are shown in a magnificent canyon. They stand, silently looking at the scene.]
- Hairy: And yet all I can think is, "This will make for a great LiveJournal entry."
- Livejournal was the site where Randall presented his comics before starting xkcd.
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Sermon delivered January 25, 2009.
Just about everyone has climbed a tree as a young kid. Our adventuresome nature gave us, sometimes to our surprise a new perspective on life. We could now see the whole neighborhood and could see beyond to other neighborhoods too. Kids today don't need tall trees to climb because we have Google Earth and satellite imagery that's accessible to everyone. Nevertheless, it's exhilarating and even intoxicating to be that high up. Just the feat of being able to climb the tree is gratifying for a youngster — like climbing Mount Everest for the most extreme adventurer.
Then, right when we're enjoying our moment of exaltation, a voice rings out: "Get down from there right now. You're going to fall and break you neck." Mom or Dad or one of our grandparents has spotted us and issued a warning and a command. As we make our descent, getting down seems a lot more difficult than our climb up. Suddenly we become acutely aware of just how high we are and how far we can fall. It's a scary realization but it probably does not prevent us from climbing again until we reach middle-age. There we have it, the paradox of climbing trees. On one hand, we ascend to great heights with new perspectives on what is below us. On the other hand, we take significant risk for a great fall that could seriously injure or kill us.
Hopefully, this will help us understand the paradox of Zacchaeus in today's gospel reading, the 15th Sunday of Luke 19:1-10. Zacchaeus also climbed a tree. Why? Because he was short and wanted to see over the crowd who gathered as Jesus was passing through the town of Jericho. Zacchaeus' name literally means "the pure and innocent one" and he is commended by some commentators for his persistence in trying to see Jesus. His climbing feat is similar to the four men of Capernaum who climb the roof of a house in order to bypass the crowd gathered around Jesus and lower their paralytic friend to Him for healing (2nd Sun. Lent — Mark 2:1-12). St. Cyril of Jerusalem and St. Augustine both note that Zacchaeus (and of course we ourselves) must rise above earthly things, especially sin, in order to see Christ.
Life is a journey and so is the spiritual life. Yet, we must know our destination and how to get there. It's difficult to navigate through a thick forest without a path or a compass. Our life at times is so overgrown with worldly concerns that we lose the path that leads to Christ. This can happen even when we are actively involved in the life of the Church through prayer, worship, fasting and almsgiving. It's necessary to pause and climb up above the trees to see where we are and where we need to go. The story of Zacchaeus is a reminder for us to climb up and look ahead because each year, because only a week or two later will be the start of Triodion which tells us Great Lent will begin in three weeks time. Beyond that another three weeks will be the Veneration of the Cross Sunday and beyond that another three weeks will be Palm Sunday and then of course a week later is Pascha-the Resurrection of our Lord. Each one of these is a signpost letting us know where we need to go.
So far so good, right? Not so fast! While Zacchaeus' climbing is seen by some as positive, others see it differently. Fr. Paul Tarazi asserts that Zacchaeus represents someone who tries to see or apprehend God through his/her own effort. He notes that the word "sycamore" used in this passage appears no where else in the scriptures or ancient writings. Luke apparently invented the term himself, in which case it may have been a play on words created by combining 'syke' (fig tree) and 'moria' (foolishness, folly), thus 'sycamore' is the tree of foolishness. Lev Gillet says that Jesus words "Come down" show that we must leave behind all vanity and pride in order to be in the presence of the Lord. It's a preview of what Jesus says on the Sunday Triodion begin (two weeks from today) when summing up the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee, "He who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 18:14).
Another paradox about Zacchaeus is that he is a chief tax collector, and like Matthew, was seen by the Jews as a betrayer of his own people and therefore a sinner (v.7). It is noted also that he is rich (v.2) which in many biblical passages is not a favorable quality. Yet, on the other hand, we hear that Zacchaeus gives half of his goods to the poor (v.8). Can we imagine giving 50% of our wealth to the poor? Can we imagine giving one or two percent of our wealth to the poor? In addition to this, if anyone even accuses Zacchaeus of stealing their money, he pays back four times the amount, whether he is guilty or not (v.8). So, we are presented with a person who is rich in wealth but not enslaved by it; who has money but does not love it.
Regardless of how you look at Zacchaeus, Jesus looks up, sees him and calls out to him saying, "I must come to your house today" (v.5). Just like our mom and dad, our yiayia and papou we looking for us when we were up in the tree, Christ is constantly searching us out, looking for us and calling out to us, "I must come to your house today." He is not satisfied with just being an icon hanging on your wall. Jesus wants to come into our heart, mind and soul. Lev Gillet says that the story of Zacchaeus should remind us Christ speaking in Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with Me." With words like, "make haste" and "today" (v.5), Jesus is emphasizing the urgency of the matter. We cannot put off till tomorrow, next week or next month what should be done today. That is to listen and hear the Lord gently knocking, sometimes pounding on the door of our life. While trying to get our attention, Christ will not force His way into our life. We must open the door and invite Him in. And what's the main way we invite Christ in, the way we allow the Kingdom of God to grow within us, the way we become a son of Abraham-a child of God? St. Cyprian of Carthage says this can happen only if we imitate Zacchaeus' almsgiving by sharing our riches and wealth with those in need. Amen!
Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews is the pastor of St. George Greek Orthodox Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Fr. Andrews is the past president of Minnesota Eastern Orthodox Christian Clergy Association (MEOCCA), and a volunteer chaplain with the St. Paul Police Department.


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January 2012
Dear Friends,
2012 will be a momentous year for the LBJ Library. As you know, our museum redesign project is already underway, and, by December, we'll be able to share with you a brand new, state-of-the-art core exhibit shedding a 21st century light on President Johnson, his legacy, and impact.
Throughout this year, we'll also mark the centennial of Mrs. Johnson, who would have celebrated her one hundredth birthday on December 22.
Later this month, on January 26, we'll begin another year of great programming for you as we welcome David and Julie Eisenhower, who will speak on their experiences as the grandson of Dwight Eisenhower and daughter of Richard Nixon, respectively. Invitations will be mailed within the week, but in the meantime, please save the date.
Happy New Year,
Mark K. Updegrove
An Evening With David and Julie Eisenhower
The LBJ Library invites you to a conversation with David and Julie Eisenhower on Thursday, January 26 at 6:00 p.m. The evening will be co-presented by The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.
David Eisenhower is a historian and Director of the Institute for Public Service at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. The grandson of President Dwight Eisenhower, he is the author of the bestseller Eisenhower: At War, 1943-1945, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Julie Nixon Eisenhower, the daughter of President Richard Nixon, is a best-selling author, editor, and public speaker on such subjects as the presidency, women in politics, and life in the White House. Together they wrote Going Home to Glory: A Memoir of Life with Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961-1969.
An RSVP is required to attend. Please return the postcard to come with your invitation or email your response to [email protected] by January 19. Please bring your membership cards for admittance; your membership card will serve as your ticket. The doors will open at 5:15 p.m. A reception will follow the program.
Free parking is available in the Library visitors' lot (#38) and lots #37 and #39. Please let the parking attendant know you are attending the Eisenhower program.
Photo courtesy of Julie Eisenhower.
A New Look at the LBJ Library & Museum
The LBJ Library and Museum has begun work on a major redesign that will give visitors a contemporary, engaging experience relating to one of the most significant presidents and eras in our country's history. In the coming year, new exhibits will be installed on the three public exhibit floors of the Library, giving the interior a completely new look and feel.
Please visit the renovation project webpage for a timeline, video from the Director about the project, behind the scenes pictures, and a link to our Tumblr site. You may also sign up for monthly email progress reports which will feature new photos and videos.
Mrs. Johnson's Centennial Year
Had she lived, Mrs. Johnson would celebrate her 100th birthday on December 22 of this year. The Texas legislature has designated 2012 the Lady Bird Johnson Centennial Year. As such, we will remember Mrs. Johnson each month in our eNewsletter, and - later this year - in programs at the Library. I hope you will join us in honoring her legacy.
Experiences in the White House
Suddenly catapulted into the role of First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson did so with resolute courage. Understanding that she had been gifted a rare chance to make a difference in the world, Mrs. Johnson set out to do just that. Whether it was continuing the White House preservation efforts that Jacqueline Kennedy started, immersing herself in the national Project Head Start, or beautifying our nation's capital, she accomplished many things. She orally recounted most days' events via tape recorder, thus laying the foundation for her later book, A White House Diary.
But the privilege of being first lady came with a toll. Perhaps her most difficult assignment was embarking on a whistle-stop tour of southern states after President Johnson had seen to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which put an end to Jim Crow laws that had prevailed throughout the South. Along the way, Mrs. Johnson was met with invective that no first lady has experienced since. But the ultimate success of the trip, as she defended the need for the Civil Rights Act, was a testament to Mrs. Johnson's spirit and stoicism. While she loved her role as first lady--and America loved her back--she wrote at the end of her tenure, "I wouldn't trade anything for the experience. But not for anything would I pay for the price of admission again."
LBJ Library photo by Robert Knudsen, taken on the White House grounds on October 20, 1967.
New membership cards
Our Friends membership cards are getting a new look. The new cards are personalized with each member's name, level of membership, and renewal date. Cards were sent to many of our members over the holidays, and everyone should receive a new card by mid-month.
This is a good time to update your information on file with us. If you have any changes to your address, phone, email, or names on the card, please email [email protected] Your card will serve as your admittance for many of our events; please remember to bring it with you to the Library.
LBJ Library on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter
We are blogging the life and legacy of Lyndon Baines Johnson at the LBJ Time Machine Tumblr. Join us on a 13-month ride, starting with the birth of LBJ in 1908 and continuing right up to the current day. We'll follow him through his early years in Texas, to Congress and the presidency, and then back to Texas and the building of his legacy, including the LBJ Foundation, the LBJ Library, and the LBJ School. Along the way we'll hear the voice of LBJ as preserved in the Archives, watch Lady Bird's home movies, review plans for the Library, and see Museum exhibits go up and come down. The ride through time will end at the grand re-opening of the LBJ Library and Museum on December 22, 2012.
The LBJ Library & Museum has a page on Facebook! Become a fan today to receive the latest news, announcements, and public event information.
The LBJ Library is also on Twitter. Join the conversation now!
For any questions related to your Friends of the LBJ Library membership, please email fri[email protected]
Friends of the LBJ Library
LBJ Library and Museum
email: [email protected]
phone: (512) 721-0176
web: http://www.lbjlibrary.org


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You can book without logging in and will continue to earn points as normal.
Dreamt of walking out onto a perfectly striped pitch with the roar of 32,000 cheering you on, rubbing shoulders with Thai football's finest players or settling down for a pre-match meal? Welcome to Thailand's only football-themed hotel, Amari Buriram United.
Situated in Thailand's North Eastern province of Buriram, Amari Buriram United is approximately 4-hour drive from Bangkok or a swift 50-minute flight from Bangkok to nearby Buriram Airport. Located within the same grounds as the Thunder Castle Stadium and right in the action, our hotel is less than a 2-minute walk away.
For a thrilling time, go to Chang International Circuit (also Buriram United International Circuit) to watch MotoGP, Super GT and other exhilarating motor sport races that will have you hang on to your seat.
Pose for the camera with a replica of the Khmer temple, Prasat Hin Phnom Rung, as an amazing backdrop at Buriram Castle. Experience the tranquil spas, sensational dishes, fun playground and so much more in just one place!
Choose from 60 spacious rooms or suites when you stay with us. A tribute to the Thunder Castles, our stylish rooms combine modern comfort with BRUTD finesse. Featuring 40-inch LED TVs, private balconies, free Wi-Fi access and player's changing room inspired decor, our hotel is ideal for leisure travellers or corporate clients.
Looking for a venue for your next meeting in Buriram? Amari Buriram United offers you our Ballroom or VIP Lounge to host cocktails or Chinese table dinners for over 300. For smaller meetings, 15 VIP Skyboxes overlooking the spectacular stadium can accommodate up to 20 delegates.
Discover lifetime memories at Amari Buriram United. Whether it's enjoying simple yet delicious Thai fusion favourites at Kick Off, warming up with a kick-about on our mini-football pitch or cooling down in the pool, our hotel is perfect for spending time with family, a group of friends or colleagues in Buriram.


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Location: SW 10th and Alder (on Alder)
Up of SW 10th avenue, years before the most recent food carts arrived, Ugarit has been serving up gyro and falafel to Portland's lunch crowd. Specializing in Mediterranean food, Mohammad, the owner, greets you with a smile and sometimes a sample of his daily soup. That is what occurred last week when I visited. I arrived and was checking out the menu when I realized I didn't have any cash. Before I could walk away to find a bank machine, Mohammad handed me a sample of the Red Lentil soup he was offering. That little bit of soup was amazing and quicken my pace to and from the ATM.
Ugarit get the name an independent kingdom from 18th century BC in what is now Syria. The people of Ugarit were perhaps the first to recognize that human speech consists of only a finite number of atomic sounds. They devised 30 symbols from which the alphabets of all phonetic languages are derived.
Ugarit offers up salads, appetizers, sandwiches, main dishes and even deserts and coffee. The menu is rather large, but there are handy pictures if you are unsure of which meal you really love, but don't remember the name. I'm a sucker for gyro and when I saw they offered up a lamb gyro, I couldn't resist. The Super Halal Lamb Gryo comes with strips of lamb served with hummus, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, tzatziki in a rolled pita. I was offered up hot sauce and decided to partake. The gyro was great. The lamb was tender, the hummus garlicky, the tzatziki sufficiently creamy. Even though it was messy with the innards spilling out at the bottom, I ate every bite.
Ugarit is one of the old guard of food carts here in Portland. If you are looking for something different and want a tried and true meal that Portland has been eating for years, give Ugarit a chance and tell them Food Carts Portland sent ya.
Sample Menu:
- Greek Salad – lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese, black olives, lemon juice, olive oil and home vinegar – $5.50
- Tabouli – Arabic parsley with bulghur, tomatoes, green onions, mint, lemon juice and olive oil – $3
- Super Falafel – deep-fried garbanzo bean patties served with hummus, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and tahini sauce in a rolled pita – $5.50
- Super Halal Lamb Gyro – strips of lamb with hummus, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and tzatziki in a rolled pita – $6
- Super Baba Ghanouj sandwich – roasted eggplant puree served with lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber in a rolled pita – $4.50
- Hummus plate – garbanzo been puree with tahini paste, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil, served with tomatoes, cucumber and pita – $6.50
- Mezza plate (choose 3) – hummus, falafel, tabouli, dolmeh, baba ghanouj, tzatziki, served with pita – $6.50
- Bakhlava – sweet confection of walnuts, cinnamon, homemade orange-rosewater and buttery phyllo pastry – $2
- Turkish coffee – $2
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 11am-6:30pm
Website: Ugarit Mediterranean Meals
Phone: 503 327 4664


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أخبار الفريق الأول
US Tour: Who is Brahim Diaz?
FIRST TOUR: Brahim Diaz is one of four youngsters joining the first team on tour.
Brahim Diaz is part of Pep Guardiola's squad that is touring the US this summer.
The 17-year old joined the Blues from his boyhood club Malaga and soon grabbed the attention of the fans with his performances in the U18s, despite being just 16 at the time.
His efforts earned him a regular place in Jason Wilcox's starting XI in the 2015/16 season and starred as the Blues reached the FA Youth Cup final.
2016/17 was another good season for Brahim as he made his first team debut under Pep Guardiola in the EFL Cup against Swansea as a second half substitute.
He signed his first professional contract the following week, agreeing a three-year deal to keep him at the Club until 2019.
His main role is just behind the striker but his flexibility allows him to play on either wing as well with the Spanish youngster utilising both feet.
As well as starring as club level, Brahim is a regular fixture in the Spanish youth setup and most recently featured for the U19s.
Picture Special
Popular this week
#Cityontour: Travel gallery
Visit our dedicated US tour page here
Supporters can visit at www.internationalchampionscup.com for access to buy tickets.
Thursday, July 20
Manchester United. v Manchester City F.C. – 8.30pm CDT
Wednesday July 26
Real Madrid v Manchester City – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum; Los Angeles, California - 8pm PCT
Saturday, July 29
Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur – Nissan Stadium; Nashville, Tennessee - 5pm CDT


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Tests That Can Safeguard Your Sight
As medical checkups go, eye exams are relatively stress-free. You can keep your clothes on, no needles are involved and you won't be asked to step on a scale! And the benefits—ensuring the health of your eyes and the sharpness of your vision—make the exam well worth it. During your visit, your ophthalmologist will decide which tests to do based on your vision concerns, your age and your medical history. Here's how he'll gauge the health of your eyes.
Visual acuity test
What it tests: How clearly you see at a distance.
How it works: You will be asked to read letters of various sizes on a chart. Or you may view a chart inside a machine. The type gets smaller as you move down. The smaller the type you can see, the better your vision is. Your score will be compared with how someone with optimal vision sees at that distance.
Eye-movement exam
What it tests: The alignment and movement of your eyes. Strabismus, for example, is diagnosed when eyes aren't properly aligned or don't move together when focusing. This test is also used to screen for other eye-movement disorders.
How it works: You'll be asked to track a moving target, such as a hand or a pen. As your eyes travel up and down and from side to side, your healthcare provider checks whether they are aligned.
Schirmer tear test
What it tests: The moistness of your eyes.
How it works: Your doctor places extremely thin strips of blotting paper under your lower eyelids.
After a few minutes, the doctor checks how much of the strip is saturated with tears.
Slit lamp exam
What it tests: The presence of dry eye, cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetes complications, corneal scratches or infections.
How it works: A microscope with a thin beam of light is used to examine each eye. You may also receive eyedrops to dilate your pupils. The eyedrops take about 15 minutes to work and may sting briefly. After the exam, your eyes will be more sensitive to light, and your near vision will be blurred until the dilating drops wear off.
Glaucoma test/tonometry
What it tests: The pressure inside your eyes, which increases if you have glaucoma.
How it works: First, the doctor uses special eyedrops to numb your eyes. Then he or she may also add a squirt of orange dye to make it easier to view your cornea. Using a little probe on a slit lamp, the doctor gently presses on each cornea to measure eye pressure. It doesn't hurt, and the numbing drops wear off in about 20 minutes.
Corneal staining test
What it tests: The smoothness of your cornea. This test is administered to someone who's had an abrasion, an infection, dry eyes or blurred vision.
How it works: An orange dye is placed on the surface of your eye using a dropper or a moistened strip containing the dye. Your healthcare provider then examines the surface of your eye with a microscope that emits blue light.
Refraction assessment
What it tests: The strength of any prescription you may need to enhance your vision
How it works: You will look into a mask-like device called a phoropter, which holds lenses of various strengths. As you focus on an eye chart, your doctor will flip two lenses into your view and ask if the letters are more or less clear. By repeating this step with different combinations, the doctor can pinpoint the power that gives you the best possible vision.
Visual field exam
What it tests: Your field of vision. It checks for blind spots due to glaucoma, retinal problems, a stroke or other ailments.
How it works: You'll cover one eye and stare straight ahead with the other. You may watch a screen as dots of light flash. Usually, you'll press a button each time you see a dot, enabling a computer to map your field of vision.
Getting the results
After an eye exam, your doctor will go over the findings with you, alert you to any risks and suggest steps to protect your vision. If your current glasses aren't doing the trick anymore, you'll get a prescription for new ones. If you need new contacts, you'll need a contact lens fitting. If other eye problems are detected, your doctor may advise further tests and/or explain treatment options, which may include eyedrops, medication or other therapies.


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Sometimes trauma, gum disease, cracked or broken teeth and tooth decay can be too significant, and despite our best efforts to save the tooth, extraction may be the only option. No one wants to lose a tooth, but here at Abilene Dental, we will make the process as comfortable and pain-free as possible.
Just because extraction may be necessary doesn't mean you have to live with missing teeth. We can provide restorative dental options to replace the extracted tooth.
- Single Implants
- Multiple Implants
- Bridges
- Implant Retained Dentures
- Standard Dentures
To learn more about extractions or restorative dental options, contact your Abilene dentist at 325-692-3344 and we will address any questions or concerns you may have.


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On April 30, 1562, French explorer Jean Ribault led an expedition ashore near the mouth of the St. Johns River. They continued north to what is now South Carolina before returning to Europe. Ribault returned to the Americas in 1564 and was among those killed during the Spanish – French struggle for control over La Florida.
Between the time he returned to Europe and before the second French expedition sailed in 1564, Ribault published an account of his journey titled The Whole & True Discouerye of Terra Florida. His brief account provides insight into his perception of the land and people he encountered. The below spellings retain those that appear in an early English-language printing of Ribault's account.
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