Thursday, September 21, 2006

Justice be served.

A while ago I posted a message concerning capital punishment and how in my opinion it has become soft. That message was prompted by the trial of the four men accused (and since found guilty) of the brutal murders of six individuals in Deltona, FL the summer of 2004. Today, more than two years later, the two defendants recommended by the Jury to receive the death penalty have received that very sentence from the Honorable William Parsons of Floridas 7th Judicial Circuit Court. I've included below a quote from Judge Parsons when delivering his sentence to Jerome Hunter. It should be noted that the verbage delivered to the accused ringleader, Troy Victorino was nearly identical.

"This court agrees with the jury's recommendation that in weighing the
aggravating circumstances against the mitigating circumstances, the scales of
life and death tilt unquestionably to the side of death. Jerone Hunter, under
the laws of the state of Florida, you have not only forfeited your right to live
among us, you have forfeited your right to live at all,"

-The Honorable, Judge William Parsons

Reply posted on Vital Perspective;

This was my reply to a posting attacking the Banking industry and blaming the Banks for being the root of our social-economic policies. The posters message than closed with a question in regards to how a fee people had become enslaved to their government. It is there that I chose to base my reply...

Matt,

"How did the worlds greatest creditor nation become the chief debtor? Why are a free people slaves to their own oppressive govt?"

One lesson that will never leave my mind from my Macro Econ class in college is that Financial Independence is essential to freedom. You mention the governement taxation and funding for blind contracts to Halliburton and the Social Security check for Jonathans grandmother. You answered your question before asking it.

Todays society is one that demands substance from the Government and as long as that continues, war spending aside we will forever see wasteful spending. Example being those who desire nothing more than to qualify for that monthly SSI check or other welfare support systems. Before you attack the banking system, lets start going after those who rather do nothing more than walk to the bank and cash that SSI check versus geting their lives in order and independant from government dependence. I'm all for taxation to provide to the nations defense, but how dare you take my money and give it to a person who is too lazy to work for even more than minimum wage. You want to know why jobs get outsourced? Because alot of these companies simply are not able to find a work force willing to work at a wage that is fully comparable to the job required. I know this from first hand experience as a former hire head for a large corporation.

I will agree that we are better off with a backed currency, but that currency right now means nothing if there is no one to trade it with, to barter with, exchange and trade with. That is what will happen if Iran develops Nuclear weapons, or North Korea is able to actually launch a nuclear war head as far as they hope for (beyond the Sea of Japan.) As for Iraq and Afghanistan, the creation of a strong democracy takes time. In todays "now" attitude we quickly forget that our constitution, the worlds model to a democratic republic almost never came to be. In fact is was its own creation and verbage that nearly created "civil strife" among the colonies after their defeat of England. If you don't believe me, search the writings and diary of Benjamin Franklin and personal notes by George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, etc. You will find contentious debate between the founding father over how the government should be structured, created, administered, etc. These are the very same things that are taking place now in Iraq.

Iran does not want a free Iraq. They say elsewise, but it proves to their benefit that a democratic Iraq not exist. If Iran truly means what they say, then let them, Syria, Jordan, etc offer to provide for the security of the Iraqi Government as they complete the crucial and delicate process of establishing their own democracy. But what am I dreaming? That will never happen.

The base message and comments screen can be found at the Vital Perspective web blog.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Conservationists and Environmentalists


It is hard for me to imagine that it has been more than a month since my last post. My apologies, but I've been pretty pre-occupied attempting to pass my NASD Series 6 and 63 investment rep licenses. I passed the 6 on my first try but it took two attempts for the 63. Right now as I am typing this I am enjoying a view of Biscayne Bay in Miami as I take my state mandated 40 hour class for my Florida Insurance license.

Anyways on to the subject of today's tirade.....

The last couple of months have very thought provoking for this ole "Florida Cracker." I am a native of the Sunsine State and by such have developed a great love for the great outdoors and what is arguably the most ecologically diverse and sensitive state in the Union.

The first event was the apperance of Former Vice President Al Gore on the MTV Video Music Awards show. Here after a making a lame joke about Justin Timberlake bringing him to "Bring back Sexy" he proceeded to show circa 1950's photographs of various Glaciers around the world in contrast to photographs of those same glaciers taken within the last couple of years. I'm not arguing that the glaciers are melting, because they are. My argument is that it was indirectly implied that this was something new to this century. This is a completely false implication by the Champion Enviromentalist. Take for example the ice cap that covers the North Pole region. This ice cap was once a glacier that covered the majority of the North American Continent as recently as only Sixteeen Thousand years ago.

The other event that touched this old boy scout was the death of Australia's favorite "bloke" Steve Irwin. Most famously associated with his daring rescue's of crocodiles that could easily snap his body in half with a single bite, Steve was by far natures greatest Champion. You never found Steve manipulating and falsely implying facts to prove a point. Unlike the manipulative, corruptive, and haste tactics of environmentalists, Steve's whole motive was simply to build world support and awareness of world conservation.

"Take a look at this Beauty" is not often a term associated with North America's largest pit viper, the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake. But it was one of the first things that I had ever heard Irwin say. This was the first episode of crocodile Hunter that I had seen, where Steve Irwin was in the United States tracking down and teaching us about mans best rodent control, america's snakes. Most particularly all of North America's poisonous snakes. I agreed with Steve, the Eastern Diamondback is ineed a beautiful snake that is feared more than it should be. A lot of that fear is rooted from a basic lack of knowledge and understanding of this serpent. Never in all the episodes did I once hear Irwin make politically driven comments or doctrine statements.

For me the difference the difference between an conservationists and a environmentalists is simply sen in agenda and tactic. Where as they proclaim otherwise, environmentalists such as FVP Gore and his cronies are driven by personal ambition and political agenda. Conservationists simply desire nothing more than securing the livelihood of our ecosystem by means of action and education of everyone. Knowledge is power. Until we truly understand and know about the entire ecological system, not just one angle, we will never have the power sufficient to improve our environment. My prayers are with the Irwin family for their loss, but nearly as great is the loss suffered by us all. We lost an amazing man, conservationists, educator, and Champion. Until another Irwin steps to the plate, we the counterbalance to environmentalists remains a void. God Bless us all.