Tribute To William R. Addington

By Eric Jay Addington

     My father, Billy Ray Addington, was born May 4th, 1924 in Jackson County

Missouri to Marion and Hiatt Addington. Oh, the things he had to have seen and been

through. He began working at the age of 5 a product of the Great Depression. At the age

of 10 he was delivering medicines on his bicycle. Of the 25 cents he made he gave 10

cents to his brother Marty and baby sister Mary Lee to go to the movies, and 5 cents for

popcorn. That was Dad, always sacrificing for his family.

     At the age of 16 he left home and went off to make a life in California and then on to

Hawaii. At that time Dad was part of what was then known as the Lost Generation. A

generation more known to indulge in self gratification than in caring for others. That was

before that fateful day Dec. 7, 1941. Now the man, William R. Addington, in 1944

enlisted in the Army Corps of Engineers, 1st Platoon. He was honorably discharged in

1947 and was awarded the Victory Medal. Now he was part of what Tom Brokaw and

many historians now refer to as The Greatest Generation. They brought freedom to the

world and defeated Nazism and fascism.

     Dad sacrificed for his family, friends and country and he never asked for anything in

return. That was my father, always giving, quick to forgive, and when you met him he

was your instant friend. Everywhere he went someone knew his name, kind of like Norm

from Cheers...

     I am so honored to call him father. He taught me what it meant to be a man, a father,

and a husband. His attributes of honesty, dependability, moral uprightness without being

judgmental or haughty are what I try to emulate. He was conservative (small c) and a life

long democrat. Some of my fondest memories were of he and I discussing politics.

When I turned 18 and registered to vote in my 1st presidential election, for Ronald

Reagan no less, my father's response: he told me that he went and voted for the first time

in many years. That was my Dad, he always found a way to make me laugh, and cry at

the same time!

     Last and certainly not least was my father's long suffering. He was in a terrible train

accident that broke his back. He endured that pain and worked harder for the family so

mom could stay at home with us kids. He was diagnosed with cancer about 6 years ago.

My Dad was a fighter. In the end he fought the good fight, never complaining. In the

end he was embarrassed to have others take care of him, and yet, through all the pain he

never complained.

     Today I honor my father, I am a man, a husband, and a father, and if I am half of what

he was then I have succeeded. All is not lost, hope is alive, in his children, Marc,

Brian, and myself, in my mom's children for whom he gave too, Renee and Warren. And

hope is even more alive in all of his Grandchildren, Robert, Michael,

Conner, Brittany, Joey, AnnaMarie, Samantha, Elise, Carter and on her way Noelle.

    Today, I will not say goodbye. I will instead say to dad, I look forward to seeing you

in Heaven, Praising God, where I will be sweeping the roads and Dad will be Suppin'!

For God's promise is forever:

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he

dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

John 11:25,26

    I am in Seattle to finalize my father's arrangements.  I have been here since Saturday and was here to say goodbye to my father.  He was able to recognize me, tell me that he loved me, asked me to tell my family that he loved them.  He asked me to watch over the entire family...a very touching moment with my father.

    He was surrounded with his family as he was taken into the arms of the Lord.  I was able to read Psalms 23 and the Lord's Prayer and to pray with him and over him in the end.  It was beautiful...

For those who have prayed for him and my family, I thank you  and may God Bless you all.

Back next week...

So I am reading some rather silly stuff on Bloglines, my news aggregator...

Joey Porter is repsponding to his $10,000 fine for calling Kellen Winslow a derogatory term for a homosexual male:

•  "Porter -- who was fined earlier in the season for comments made to an official -- is complaining that players who violate the league's substance-abuse policy are not reprimanded as harshly."

There is nary a comment on personal responsibilty.  While he may have a valid point, it would be made greater if he would come out and say it was wrong for him to say what he did.  It is hard to take the words of a millionaire that just dropped like .0001$ of his income to feel sorry for him.  It just kills me that these athletes, and some Hollywood stars, take personal responisibilty so lightly. Steelers linebacker Porter responds to $10K fine.

Then there is word from the San Diego Padre's, my local team, that they are once again trying to get David Wells back on the team.  Here's a guy that in the playoffs had nothing...no gas, no pitches to beat the Cards.  Why, I ask, why?  Nice deal on Madux though...

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Heh:

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On a more serious note, I am looking for some prayers.  My father has landed back in the hospital.  He is battling cancer, and things look a little more grim today.  He suffered a stroke in November, went home on a Friday afternoon, and suffered a heart attack the next Saturday morning.  He is back in the hospital as of yesterday with another heart attack, and it looks like he may have liver failure.

Please pray for him, my mother and the doctors and nurses.  I am praying for his soul and am praying that I can make it to Seattle, perhaps today if the prognosis is grave.  His name is Bill, mom is Ruby.

Thanks and God Bless...

Thanks to John Hawkins from Right Wing News for the link, and welcome readers!  I appreciate the bump for Blog of the Day...

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and Happy New Year to All!

Come visit again...

Gov. Mitt  Romney seems to be valid contender for the run at 2008.  He is bright, charismatic and says the right stuff for me.  The fact that he is a Mormon will have nothing to do with my voting for him.  He is a much better conservative than John McCain...

Read Hugh Hewitt then Kathryn Jean Lopez's interview of Romney...good stuff.  He slams the ISG in a tempered way.

Romney On The ISG Hugh

A Primary Factor KJL at NRO

Counter Update: Compare that to the treatment that the Investors Business Daily gives to Obama, all fluff no substance:

Rusting Star IBD

Can you say LIBERAL?

Do we trust or begin to distance ourselves from the Hous of Saud:

 

Report: Iraqi Officials Track Financing for Sunni Insurgents to Saudi Citizens.

You know what really gets my goat?  It's the protesters in various areas that will not sit and listen to those they disagree with, instead they shout them down...fre speech is only for those you agree with.  It happens every day, most recent was a speech to be given by Paul Wolfowitz.  The protestors can't debate logically, as they are to involved emotionally, that they can't carry a thought.  So, the easiest thing to do is shut them down and not let the speeches go on...

First, Calvin and Hobbes classic:
 

Second, football predictions:

• Chargers by a touchdown over Denver
• Cleveland over Pittsburgh  against conventional wisdom
• I didn't realize this game was played Thursday - duh...Steelers won
• KC over Baltimore, Baltimore won
• Patriots over the Dolphins, Dolphins won
• Atlanta over Tampa, Got one right
• I'm going with the Skins over the Eagles, Eagles win improve to 7-6
• Going with the Panthers over the Giants (I love to see Eli struggle), darn it, Eli won
• Jags over the Colts (The Colts are very beatable this year!), !!!!!!Colts Lose!!!!!Big Time!!!!
• Titans win in the bore game of Sunday, Titans Won
• Bengals over the hapless Raiders  (will Art Shell make to next season?), Bengal won, Now 8-5
• The Seahawks over the Cardinals  (who is the QB at Arizona?),
• Buffalo played well against the Charger, Bills over the Jets
• Ohhh, Saints over the Cowboys
• Who can pick the Rams?

I love the Sunday's that I get to sit and watch football...there is actually rain in Southern California, so no weed pulling! 

Have a great Sunday!

  Article Submitted by Sharon Hughes

Ahmadinejad’s Letter to America - Arrogance or Delusion?

By Sharon Hughes

I’ve been chewing on whether to write about Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s letter to us ‘Noble Americans,’ and have decided I can’t just let it pass.

It’s amazing that the dictator could presume the American people would listen to him after all the anti-American rhetoric and calls for ‘death to America,’ but then we’ve already had examples of his thinking and manner, as demonstrated in his interview with Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes, and his speech at the UN last September, so we shouldn’t be surprised.

But, let me raise just a few questions about what he wrote…

1. First of all, who is Ahmadinejad, the self-appointed ‘John the Baptist’, talking about in the opening of his letter to Americans leading into the Christmas season? Not Jesus.

“O, Almighty God, bestow upon humanity the perfect human being promised to all by You, and make us among his followers.”

2. Did he really think that the American people would agree with him against our government, no matter where we stand on the war in Iraq?

“Noble Americans, Were we not faced with the activities of the US administration in this part of the world and the negative ramifications of those activities on the daily lives of our peoples, coupled with the many wars and calamities caused by the US administration…Were the American people not God-fearing, truth-loving, and justice-seeking, while the US administration actively conceals the truth and impedes any objective portrayal of current realities; Then, there would have been little urgency to have a dialogue with you.”

3. Is he serious when he says that Iran and America share the same values, after he’s called for ‘wiping Israel off the map’, and cheered with Iranians chanting ‘death to America’?

“Both our nations are God-fearing, truth-loving and justice-seeking, and both seek dignity, respect and perfection. We all deplore injustice, the trampling of peoples' rights and the intimidation and humiliation of human beings. We all detest darkness, deceit, lies and distortion, and seek and admire salvation, enlightenment, sincerity and honesty. Noble Americans, Our nation has always extended its hand of friendship to all other nations of the world.”

Excuse me? How about Israel?

“You know well that the US administration has persistently provided blind and blanket support to the Zionist regime, has emboldened it to continue its crimes, and has prevented the UN Security Council from condemning it.”

4. Is it arrogance or delusion for him to think that the American people wouldn’t recognize that he is simply parroting the liberal media and politicians?

“You have certainly heard the sad stories of the Guantanamo and Abu-Ghraib prisons. The US administration's illegal and immoral behavior is not even confined to outside its borders. You are witnessing daily that under the pretext of "the war on terror," civil liberties in the United States are being increasingly curtailed. The US administration does not accept accountability before any organization, institution or council. The US administration has undermined the credibility of international organizations, particularly the United Nations and its Security Council.

…But, I do not intend to address all the challenges and calamities in this message.”

5. No, but he wants to teach the Democrats who won the majority in the House and Senate last month…

“I'd also like to say a word to the winners of the recent elections in the US: The United States has had many administrations; some who have left a positive legacy, and others that are neither remembered fondly by the American people nor by other nations. Now that you control an important branch of the US Government, you will also be held to account by the people and by history. If the US Government meets the current domestic and external challenges with an approach based on truth and Justice, it can remedy some of the past afflictions and alleviate some of the global resentment and hatred of America.”

And to preach to us…

“We should all heed the Divine Word of the Holy Qur'an: ‘But those who repent, have faith and do good may receive Salvation. Your Lord, alone, creates and chooses as He will, and others have no part in His choice; Glorified is God and Exalted above any partners they ascribe to Him.’ (28:67-68) I pray to the Almighty to bless the Iranian and American nations and indeed all nations of the world with dignity and success.”

Well, enough of that. Let me just end with this… Being teachable is a good trait, but wisdom dictates knowing about those who are trying to ‘teach’ us, whether they be dictators using propaganda, or professors and politicians and activists in our own country who echo the same mentality openly or disguised as political correctness.

You can read the entire transcript of Ahmadinejad’s letter to the American people here: http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/11/29/ahmadinejad.letter/  

 

Related:

Script “Death to Israel”

Script “Death to America”

Video – Ahmadinejad - Death to Israel & America

 

Mike Wallace 60 Minutes script and video with Ahmadinejad

 

USA Today interview with Iranian president on America

Ahmadinejad ‘soft and fuzzy’ in Brian Williams interview

Ahmadinejad meets with American religious leaders

 

Current: Ahmadinejad, the Security Council and going nuclear

 

 

© Sharon Hughes 2006

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Thank you to Sharon for submitting this article for your perusal.

Article submission at ejadding AT gmail DOT com

I would be happy to post articles here...

You know the Dimocrats are ready to raise the minimum wage in their first 100 Hours "Plan."  It is politically expedient to raise this wage, as it is a "feel good" measure, and yet it typically hurts most those that it is purported to help.  Here is a classic example:

At my church on Thursday evenings we have day care for those who are attending our Growth Groups.  (Growth Groups are bible study groups and a place to fellowship and really represent the church in action).  The time is paid for by the church and by the payment directly for the service.  Currently, the cost was $8.00  ($10 for two children and no more than $20 for a family) for the entire time, which can be from 6:30 to 9:30 pm.  This is a pretty good deal  considering that most sitters are charging that per hour.  As of the first of the new year that cost will jump to $10.00 ($20 for two, and $25 for a family).  This represents a 25% increase over this years cost.  (Please keep in mind that day care during weekend services is provided for free)

This cost is borne by those who can least afford it.  I think specifically of the single moms and dads out there merely trying to get into the word and fellowship.  I bring this up as an example of the folly of raising the minimum wage.  Think about any business that is hiring part time workers.  Instead of hiring another worker, and paying them the higher wage, the business owner will have to pass the increase to their customer, and perhaps, not hire another worker, or worse have to let go workers to absorb the cost.  Gee, lets not begin to talk about mandatory insurance...

The folly of raising the wage is the cost that is passed on, usually to those who can least afford the increase.  Additionally, jobs will be lost.  Basic economics are not a strong suit of the Dimocrats...socialism is the ultimate goal...wealth redistribution...universal healthcare...eventually won't we have universal auto insurance...universal life insurance...

 Gee, Jimmy Carter's new book is full of factual inaccuracies?  His book takes the Israeli's to task and gives the Palestinians a pass?

What I don't understand about Dimocrats is that the Israeli's keep coming to the Peace table, and continually look for ways to negotiate with the Palestinians.  And yet every time the Palestinians not only walk away, they continue to call for the destruction of Israel.  The greatest impediment to peace I always thought was Yassir Arafat, and yet with his passing there has been no further progress toward peace.  The fact is that there is no peace settlement that will satisfy the Palestinians other than the complete and utter destruction of Israel.  And, the Israelis need to keep an eye out not only on and within their borders, but have to keep a watchful eye on Syria and Iran. 

Ahmadandawhackjob is convening a Holocaust denial summit this month in Iran.  Here alleged experts will debate the "reality" of the gas chambers, the "reality" of the slaughter of millions of Jews at the hands of Nazi Germany.  Essentially, if the Holocaust never happened, then there is no need for the UN and world imposition of the Israeli State.   The two state solution is just a step to create a base from which the enemies of Israel will launch war upon a peaceful, democratic state.  Unless and until the Palestinians recognize the right of Israel to exist...I will never understand the Jimmy Carter's and the Dimocrats of the world; by turning a blind eye to the cause celebre of the Palestinian's (and Hamas and Hezbollah et al), they not only endanger Israel but world peace.

Source:

"A longtime aide to Jimmy Carter has resigned from the Carter Center think tank, calling the former president's new book on Israel and the Arabs one-sided and filled with errors.

Kenneth Stein, the Carter Center's first executive director and founder of its Middle East program, sent a letter that bluntly criticized the book to Carter and others.

Stein wrote that the book, "Palestine: Peace, Not Apartheid," was replete with factual errors, material copied from other sources and "simply invented segments," according to an excerpt of the letter published by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution."
Source: FOXNews

More:

"Fact is, Carter has long since joined the Israel-hating left — where true anti-Semitism Fact is, Carter has long since joined the Israel-hating left — where true anti-Semitism resides today. In so doing, Carter has joined a long line of those who, like ex-Attorney General Ramsey Clark, linguist Noam Chomsky and faux-documentarian Michael Moore, see Israel as the root of all evil.

Any ill found in the Mideast — poverty, inequality, corruption, human rights abuses — can somehow be traced to Israel's supposed mistreatment of Palestinians, they say.

Such assertions are absurd. Israeli Arabs serve in the Knesset, on the high court and in Israel's bureaucracy. They have the right to vote. They live in a system that guarantees due process for criminal behavior. They work, they travel.

Do any of the 21 Arab countries return the favor? Not a chance. Instead, they systematically kill, harass, disenfranchise and deport their Jewish and Christian populations — a routine system of ethnic and religious cleansing that has existed for decades without a peep of dissent from the leftists of the world — including Carter."
Source: Investors Business Daily

The voters of California were sold a bill of goods when it came to state funded stem-cell research.  The promises of Proposition 71 in 2004 as controversial as the 2006 stem-cell fight.  Again, the voters bought the argument that only the State of California could create a bureaucracy that could use my tax dollars to find cures, treatments and elixirs using embryonic stem-cells.  The Hollywood left came out, Nancy Reagan was trotted out shortly after President Reagan's passing (sympathy vote) and the politicos that believe only in the power of the government.

Well, it turns out that $3.0 Billion dollars later and any benefits are a minimum of 10 years away, if any benefits may arise.  Again, this new bureaucracy was the only way to get this done, or so went the argument.  Not that adult stem-cell research, powered by private funds was already showing great promise.  In fact, there are likely breakthroughs using non-embryonic stem-cells. (Note: via Investors Business Daily today: Yet 72 treatments have emerged from adult and umbilical stem-cell research — and none from embryonic stem-cell research — showing the market's efficiency. )

The use of embryonic stem-cells only lessens the value of life.  The recent election had Michael J. Fox's endorsement of a State Constitutional amendment (sorry, I forget the state at the moment, MN(?)) to allow the creation of embryonic stem-cells by cloning, and subsequent destruction for research purposes.  Sadly, again, the very fact that embryoes are (potentially) cloned and destroyed lessens the value of life.  If we can't or won't protect those who can't speak or protect themselves is a sad development.  What is more distasteful is that my tax money is used for these purposes, in CA.  If private foundations using private money's (say from MJ Fox et al) would not bother me as much...

It saddens me that the world is so misled about stem-cell research.   The MSM is fully at fault, as there is very little true discussion about the difference between ADULT STEM-CELL and EMBRYONIC STEM-CELL research.  They are distinctly different, and most articel merely mention stem-cell research, and then most defenses of stem-cell research revolves around embryonic.  So, I try to make every effort to point out the differences and the promises of acult stem-cell treatments...

 

Heh...

I needed a laugh this morning!

I received an email yesterday from a woman in connection with my comments on Rosie comparing Christianity and Islam.  Well, her point was that Christianity was no better than Islam.   I must say I take extreme exception to the commenter and with Rosie.  Her is the email, no editing whatsoever:
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The charge by the Dimocrats has been that Bush Co. never listens to it's own generals.  Here is the best example of why we should not leave Iraq, the looming battle will conflagrate into a full out World War, the likes of which the world has never seen.  Iraq is the high point of the battle for the civilized world:

America cannot walk away from Iraq without risking another world war. That warning was sounded at the Kennedy School forum Nov. 17 by Gen. John Abizaid, commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), the man responsible for U.S. military strategy in the Middle East.

"We can walk away from this enemy, but they will not walk away from us," Abizaid told the forum audience during a discussion titled "The Long War."

"We have not failed yet and we will not fail if we all understand what we have to do. If we can stay together nothing can stop us and we can make the world a better place."

Abizaid cited what he called the three greatest challenges facing the world - the Arab-Israeli conflict; the rise of extremist groups "with a dark vision of the future"; and, specifically, the dangers posed by "Shia revolutionary thought."

General Abizaid at the Kennedy School Communications By Doug Gavel 

 

Heh!