Let's clear this up once and for all

I am shocked and appalled at the murder of Kansas abortion doctor George Tiller. Despite his despicable practice of performing late-term abortions, Tiller did not deserve to be gunned down in cold blood.

So let it be known: I am 100% AGAINST abortion, whether it be a baby in the first trimester or an abortion doctor in the 271st trimester.

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And now, some unsolicited advice

Say you're planning to drive on the freeway. Upon getting on the entrance ramp, you begin to pick up speed to be able to successfully merge into highway traffic. So once it comes time to merge into the far right lane (especially if you're in a white Subaru getting on Hwy 10 in Anoka at 12:30 on a Saturday afternoon), please keep this is mind:









DON'T FREAKIN' STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"MERGE" MEANS "MERGE", NOT "YIELD"!!!

That is all.

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When technology fails

With the industry I work in, we are required to file an annual RFS report with the Environmental Protection Agency. Unfortunately, there have been issues today which didn't allow me to put together the file to send electronically (naturally it has to be time stamped the last business day of May). As such, I had to go with good ol' fashioned "snail mail".

Perhaps it was also due to failing technology that caused R2D2 to deliver the Death Star plans to Obi Wan Kenobi in person.




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A great start to the week!

• I turned 40 on Sunday, yet the celebration continued at the Memorial Day gathering we hosted. As pictured above , I was given a bottle of Ol' Geezer wine, which is made in South Africa. And without my knowledge my wife instructed everyone to make references to the number forty throughout the day. For example, my sister-in law asked me if it was true we were grilling forty hamburgers or that forty thousand people attended Sunday's Twins game. Apparently there were other references which I flat out missed. I'm normally not that obtuse but I guess I was trying so hard to be a good host that a lot of the "forty" citations went over my head. But I have to admit that I actually enjoyed the hoopla surrounding this milestone birthday!
  
  
• The will of the people was upheld in California as Prop 8 will stand, thus defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman. It'll be interesting to see if the gay marriage proponents in Cali resume their harassment of churches. Of course, the majority of African Americans and Hispanics also voted "yes" on Prop 8. However, don't expect these gutless lefties to be protesting in East L.A. or Compton anytime soon.
  
  
• Witnessed my favorite baseball team defeat the Boston Red Sox 5-2. Nick Blackburn pitched seven strong innings and Justin Morneau hit a three-run homer in the win. I also scored tickets for Wednesday evening's game, right along the third base line. But I'd be remiss if I didn't give props to Red Sox fans. They were quite vocal Tuesday despite their team trailing most of the game. In terms of following their club all over the country, the Sox fans are to Major League Baseball what the Pittsburgh Steelers faithful are to the NFL.

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Life's milestones.

I turned 20 years old less than a week removed from finishing my second year of college. I had a summer job working at the North St Paul 7-11 (right before all 7-11s were sold to the company that runs Super America) but had this particular night off to celebrate my official exit from the teens. A group of us went to the Heartthrob Cafe in downtown St Paul, located on the corner of Wabasha and 7th. I was the last in our group to become a "twenty-something", so it felt good to be moving on from teenage angst.

I celebrated the big 3-0 on a Monday. Unfortunately, it was the beginning of a week-long business trip to Chicago so I couldn’t be with friends and family. I think I ordered room service that evening and then checked my personal voice mail to find I had several “happy birthday” greetings! My gal and I had been engaged for a few months at the time and I was bummed we couldn’t be together on that special occasion.

I take those little trips down memory lane because today is the day I reach yet another milestone birthday. I’m told forty is the new 30. Whatever. All I know is that chronologically I was born forty years ago today. That’s right, I’m 40 years old. FORTY!!! The big Four Oh. No matter how often I say it, it still doesn’t resonate. I guess what really blows me away is when my Dad turned 40 he had four kids, ages 15, 13, 11 and 8 (my wife and I are still working on number one). And my paternal Grandmother was two months away from being a grandparent when she hit that magical age.

Some may even refer to this time in my life as “middle-age.” Not to worry, though. I’m not about to buy a Corvette or start donning a toupee. All I know is that with each passing year life has gotten better and better, especially over the past decade. So I can safely say that I will fully embrace a half-century once it comes along.

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What a blessed event!!

The newly married couple greets their guests

Yeah, some couples naturally go together!

On Saturday evening, my wife and I had the distinct honor and pleasure to attend the nuptials of dear friends Ben & Faith. For a recap, check out the live updates that were posted as the events of the wedding happened.

This wedding was unique in so many ways, which seems only appropriate given the way the couple met. For instance, this is the first wedding I've attended where the mother of the bride also served as the Officiant. And history may also have been in that the three groomsmen were all old enough to be the father of the bridesmaid each escorted down the aisle.

Overall, the outdoor ceremony was blessed with beautiful weather and an atmosphere of fun and joyous celebration. As a couple who puts Christ at the center of their lives, Ben and Faith took that all important first step in what will be an exciting and blessed journey.

Our sincerest congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs. Ben Worley!!

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That's where they draw the line

Looks as though the on-again, off-again relationship between actress Lindsay Lohan and girlfriend Samantha Ronson may be on-again....'til death do they part (emphasis mine)!

The Mean Girls star is also said to be considering converting to Judaism to marry her lesbian lover.

According to the National Enquirer, wedding talk angered Ronson's Jewish family - so Catholic Lohan has offered to convert.

The fact that Ronson is a lesbian? Hey, it's great her parents accept her for who she is.

And the fact the Lohan has exhibited mental instability and a propensity for alcohol and drug abuse? All is forgiven.

But the mere prospect of Samantha marrying a Catholic??? Hey, Sam's parents have to draw the line somewhere.

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New York Times spikes ACORN corruption story

Kudos to Anita Moncrief, Obama supporter, for blowing the whistle on this story. But since there was a chance (albeit minute) that it would embarrass President Obama, The NY Times declined to pursue it.





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Swept away.

"I just have to tip my hat to the Yankees and call them my daddy."
-Pedro Martinez, after a rough 2004 vs. the New York Yankees

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire (owner of a 3-23 regular season record in the Bronx) can now echo Pedro's sentiment.

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Saying goodbye to Bachelor Ben

I was honored to attend a bachelor party for my pal Ben last evening, as he we will be married to the lovely Faith this Saturday. It was great to catch up with my blogging pals John (a/k/a the Father of the Bride), Mark (who will live-blog the wedding at the Night Writer blog), Derek, King David and Dan. I was also honored to meet for the first time Bert "Bike Bubba" Perry, Surly Dave and the father of the groom.

After a time of fellowship (a lot of it spent listening to political pundit David Strom), we played a couple of trivia games and then listed to groomsman Surly Dave impart some Godly words of wisdom on the groom-to-be.

Groom-to-be Ben (right) taking in pearls of wisdom offered up by "Surly Dave".


I must confess that this was the first bachelor party I attended since my "back-slidden" days of the early 1990s. To say Ben's gathering was dramatically different than the one I attended in 1994 would be an understatement. I'll just leave it at that.

I have to say that I am as excited about this wedding as any one I have ever attended (My own is sill my favorite, however). When you see a couple that is about to embark on a wonderful journey in fulfilling God's work, it's an absolute honor and privilege to witness their first step!

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Quote of the year, so far

Former NBA player Corie Blount was recently sentenced to a year in jail for felony marijuana posession. Blount claimed the nearly 30 pounds of marijuana was for personal use, to which Judge Craig Hedric replied, "Cheech and Chong would have had a hard time smoking that much."

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Mauer power

On Tuesday evening my gal & I went to our first Twins game this season as part of our partial season ticket package!

Joe Mauer is now hitting .500 this season (he missed all of the month of April due to injury) after going 2 for 3 with a two-run home run in a 6-2 win over the Detroit Tigers.

While Mauer was circling the bases after his third inning homer, I realized that next season will be the final year of his current contract. Meanwhile the Yankees' franchise catcher, Jorge Posada, will be 38 years old in August and has been injury-plagued this season and last. It's never an ideal situation for the rest of Major League Baseball when the Yankees have needs.

Translation: Sign Mauer to an extension. NOW!!!!!!!!

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The never-ending stories

I was just starting to get used to the idea of the Minnesota Vikings ushering in the Sage Rosenfels era upon the announcement that Brett Favre would stay retired.

But then ESPN reported Friday that Favre's playing status for 2009 is indeed not settled.

A source close to the situation told ESPN's Jeremy Schaap on Friday that X-rays of Favre's right shoulder -- he has pain resulting from a torn biceps tendon -- have been sent to the Vikings and that the X-rays are in the process of being evaluated. If it is determined by Favre's and the Vikings' medical people that he needs anything less than "major" surgery on his shoulder, Favre will unretire to play for the Vikings, the source said.

Speaking of unresolved issues, there is still the matter of seating the next U.S. Senator from the state of Minnesota. The latest is that the Minnesota Supreme Court will hear arguments in early June. From there, who knows when a resolution will come about.

This question was posed to Vikings radio analyst Pete Bercich on NFL Network earlier this week. Now I'll ask you.

Which long, drawn out saga will conclude first?
	Brett Favre's status for 2009
	The Coleman-Franken Senate battle
Free polls from Pollhost.com

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Just a general observation

When MSNBC's Keith Olbermann dubs someone the "Worst Person in the World", it's the equivalent of The Elephant Man chiding somebody for having an acne problem.

That is all.

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May 6, 1971: A new arrival.

On this date 38 years ago, I was 2 ½ weeks shy of two years old. I woke up in the morning and, to my surprise, saw my maternal grandmother in our house. “Where’s my mom?” I demanded. Grandma then informed me that Mom headed to the hospital the prior evening, right before Johnny Carson came on. About seven hours later, my baby brother had arrived. While I don’t specifically recall my reaction, I have been told that I was pretty underwhelmed by the news.

Anyhow, I more than happily wish my bro Eric a very happy birthday today!!

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Will Favre don purple after all?

Sure, quarterback Brett Favre coming to the Vikings would have been much juicier had it taken place last season. Favre would have been a mere one year removed from his illustrious career in Green Bay and would have opened the 2008 regular season in Lambeau Field as the opposing QB.

Nevertheless, there is still some intrigue in Favre possibly joining the Vikings in 2009. For me, it’s less about sticking it to my Wisconsin friends/relatives and more about my favorite squad enhancing its position as a contender. I’m sorry, but the Vikings will not win the Super Bowl with either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. So does obtaining Favre guarantee a championship? Of course not. But if I felt 39-year old Jeff Garcia was good enough for the Vikings, why wouldn’t I want Favre as our QB?

Naturally, there are still some concerns to be addressed. Around late November of last season with the New York Jets, Favre was hampered by what was thought to be a torn biceps tendon in his throwing arm. In the last five games of 2008 (in which the Jets lost four) Favre threw only two touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Upon the conclusion of last season, many Jets players openly complained that Favre was not a very good teammate and often kept to himself. And while I don’t condone the “lone wolf” approach, the fact of the matter is Favre had no connections to the Jets (other than former teammate Bubba Franks) before he joined the organization. But that wouldn’t be an issue with the Vikings. Both head coach Brad Childress and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell were once Packer assistant coaches during Favre’s tenure. And kicker Ryan Longwell was a close friend of Favre’s in the nine years they were teammates in Green Bay.

Last season I never felt the Vikings had a realistic chance of acquiring Favre. This year? 50-50 at best. But I’m still going to watch these developments closely!!

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The latest battle in the Culture War

One has hardly been able to watch the news over the past few months without the broaching of a very controversial subject: gay marriage.

In March, the Vermont legislature legalized gay marriage by overriding the veto of Gov. Jim Douglas. A month later, the Iowa Supreme Court overturned a 10-year ban on same-sex marriage. Shortly after that, Miss USA pageant contestant Carrie Prejean drew national headlines by proclaiming her opposition to such unions.

Despite the vilification of Ms. Prejean, many national polls concur with her sentiment: marriage should be between one woman and one man. In 2004, 11 of 11 states (including “blue” states Michigan and Oregon) voted to amend their state constitutions by defining marriage as such. Even ultra-liberal California voted the same way in 2008.

Since many on the left can do little more than launch ad hominem attacks on gay marriage opponents, they fail to realize a key issue: judicial activism. While I personally oppose gay marriage, I can respect the fact that the Vermont law was generated through the proper branch of government, which is legislative branch. Thus the people in Vermont can respond by voting out legislators if they don’t agree with the law their representatives made. However, legalizing anything through judicial fiat (a la the 2004 gay marriage ruling in Massachusetts) sets an incredibly dangerous precedent. And that is why many citizens in my state of Minnesota have made pleas to our local legislators to allow us to vote on the issue.

Let’s clear up something else once and for all: The vast majority of Christians do not oppose gay marriage because of bigotry, xenophobia, etc. It’s because traditional marriage in and of itself is a religious exercise. As such, there is no theological justification for marriage being anything other than one man and one woman. And that’s why I don’t have a problem with “domestic partnerships” or “civil unions” because those are merely contracts with the state. No religious purview whatsoever. Sure, civil unions may be more common amongst the gay community. So what? As long as no laws are being broken in the implementation and execution of such arrangements, then there’s no problem.

My hope and prayer is that future discussions surrounding the marriage issue can be undertaken with a little more decorum and a lot less vitriol.

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The specter of Arlen now haunting Democrats

The defection of Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter to the Democrat party didn't break a lot of hearts in the GOP. However, with the likely seating of Al Franken in the Senate, that would give the Democrats the magic number of 60. As such, Republicans' celebration of Specter's departure should have been tempered.

But not anymore.

Per Senator Specter (D-PA), the GOP may be to blame for the death of Jack Kemp.

"If (Republicans) had pursued what President Nixon declared in 1970 as the war on cancer, we would have cured many strains. I think Jack Kemp would be alive today. And that research has saved or prolonged many lives, including mine."

Kemp was not even gone for 72 hours before Specter made such a shocking statement. What's worse is Specter's despicable claim, as Ed Morrissey astutely points out, isn't even valid.

During Republican control of Congress, federal spending on health research and regulation increased 46% after inflation, from $49 billion a year to $72 billion a year, or about 7% increase each year. That’s almost the same rate of increase as Defense spending got in the same period (48%), when we actually had a real war on our hands, and not a political contrivance for excusing federal spending.

And Specter wonders why he can’t get within 20 points of Pat Toomey in a primary

Such demamgogurey further reaffirms Judge Robert Bork's statement from three years ago: "I know Specter, and the truth is not in him."


UPDATE: Kudos to my pal Mark for this key observation: "If (John) Edwards is going to jail, the job of cheap demagogue on medical research for the D's is open, so Arlen is just filling a market niche."


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Still tea'd about taxes

Jason Lewis' annual tax cut rally took place Saturday on the steps of the State Capitol in St Paul. Given the size crowd that came and went over the four hour period, many Minnesotans are still concerned (as well as downright angry) over the reckless spending at the state and federal levels. Add to that the fact fiscal conservatives were extremely offended at how their President and the mainstream media exuded a condescending tone regarding their objections. That served as a big motivator in people willing to give up a nice day Saturday to make their voices heard once more.

The creativity was also out in full force. One of the best signs I read inquired "Mr. President: If I put the Constitution on a teleprompter will you read it?"

Others also expressed their dismay by donning costumes. Check out my photo-op with the "pirate" wearing the Al Gore mask. He called himself "Cap'N Trade".



Closed circuit to fiscal liberals: the momentum ain't even close to being dead.




Governor Pawlenty mingling with the crowd after his speech



Here I am meeting VP Biden a guy dressed up as "Chicken Little"

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Dennis Miller goes nuclear on President Obama

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An update from the President & VP on their first 100 days.

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