Random Thoughts 1/2/07

• I want to say thank you again, to all of the wonderful people who have been a blessing to us over the holidays. We received several nice cards and a some generous gifts, some of which were given anonymously. God bless each of you!
• James Dyson was knighted by the Queen of England recently. He's the guy who invented the Dyson vacuum cleaners that my wife and I just love. It's the first vacuum that just makes sense to me; every feature is right where it intuitively ought to be. I can't imagine buying any other vacuum, now that I have a Dyson. It's the Macintosh of vacuum cleaners: you can get cheaper, more powerful vacuums but you can't get a better one.
• Global Warming Nuts (more aptly thought of as Blaming Global Warming on Humans Nuts) are trying to put Polar Bears on the threatened animals list. Are they actually endangered? No, but they could be if we cause all of the ice to melt they say. The truth is that the global polar bear population is thought to be twice as large as what it was 100 years ago and in some areas they are actually increasing. This has caused thin, underfed bears to be found (because of overpopulation). Also, in some areas the bear population is down because there is less ice. But people didn't cause that; even the nuts say we have only bumped up the temperature 0.6º C in the last 200 years.
  
• Some of you may have wondered why I haven't said much of anything about Saddam Hussein's execution or the passing of former President Ford. I have my reasons and will probably comment at a later date. But I'm just going to hold my tongue for now.
• I'm glad that Jason Dunham finally received the Medal of Honor (postumously). He's the Marine that jumped on a hand grenade to save the lives of his friends – a true hero that has been largely ignored by the main stream media. I did a little research and discovered that Dunham is one of four who have made that same sacrifice. Two Marines (including Dunham), a Navy Seal, and an Army soldier have shielded grenades with their own bodies at the cost of their lives. Add to these heroes a list of dozens of American fighting men (and women) who have shown amazing combat valor in Afghanistan and Iraq and yet the average American can't name even one. So let me name a few: Paul Ray Smith (MoH), Jason Dunham (MoH), Raphael Peralta, Brad Kasal, Brian Chontosh, David Bellavia, Chris Adlesperger, Ross McGinnis, Michael Monsoor, and many, many more.
  
• Irish novelist Oliver Goldsmith once said, "Don't let us make imaginary evils, when you know we have so many real ones to encounter." I thought this rings so true in the face of so many conspiracy theorists, Bush-haters, and the criminally-ignorant of history.