Posted 2:35 AM by Steve
The ability to sense beauty is a skill we must all cultivate. Beauty can be sensed in a sweeping piece of classical music that takes your breath away. It can be sensed in something as simple as a view or a fragrance, a sensation. It can be found in the complex, revealing culmination of a great novel. A perfect scene from your favorite motion picture. In a way, sensing beauty is finding God in the details.

Posted 1:52 PM by Steve
The cruel, slow-motion execution of Terry Schiavo

It may be "unseemly" for critics to "compare her end with that of victims of the Nazi regime", but it's not immoral and with some reflection it isn't off the mark by all that much.
Morality is the real issue so artfully dodged by the media here.

It's clear to most of the people who have seen her, Terry Schiavo is not in a "vegetative" state which is what Schiavo's husband and his lawyer keep repeating.
WHY they keep repeating that is of great importance. It shows their willingness to ignore the facts and the apparent responsive actions of Terry Schiavo.

Why many of the same groups that believe miracle cures are "just around the corner" in many medical fields relating to stem-cells and stem-cell research want the life of this woman snuffed out so desperately is also quite revealing.

If legally her husband has the right to end the life of his wife then I respect the rule of law and would humbly suggest that the laws be changed. However, to convince me that Mr. Schiavo has the right to decide the end of Terry Schiavo's life you must also argue that any husband could order the execution of any spouse in any situation where medical attention were required to keep that person alive.

Imagine EMT arriving on scene at a car crash. "Well boys, the lady is trapped in the car, unconscious and bleeding badly what should we do?" "Let's call her husband and see if he wants her to live."

The human desire for life is not merely an "abstraction". It's a basic instinct drilled into our heads by millions of years of evolution which is part of a system of life initiated by our creator.

It's one of the most basic arguments against abortion. In absence of any verbal response or advanced understanding by the baby, it is understood that all human creatures have a will to live.

The number of procedures or length of time she has been kept alive by medicine is irrelevant. The question now is that it requires action on the part of the medical community to end her life.
That is more than "unseemly". That is wrong.

Posted 9:40 PM by Steve
The senate is trying to legislate to force businesses to raise minimum wage.

Imagine for a moment what the founding fathers of our nation,who valued liberty above all else, would think of a national legislative body imposing these types of controls on private businesses.

O.K. set that aside for a moment. In the current shallow, socialist-leaning, political climate the idea of raising minimum wage probably sounds neat to a whole lot of people.

The idea sounds simple enough right?

People make more money. They are happier.

Economics isn't that simple and it's harsh truths rarely coincide with the kind of ideas that enter the minds of politicians.

I believe every worker should earn (and keep) every penny they deserve for the work they supply.

Here is why raising minimum wage is not the answer and maybe actually lowering minimum wage is a better idea:

Raising minimum wage puts financial stress on business. The kind of business that hires minimum wage workers typically operates on a slim profit margin. Business is in business not to "create jobs" or to "employ people" these are side effects. Business is in business to make a profit. If suddenly a new financial burden is put on a business in the form of a tax , fine, regulation, or payroll increase, the business will respond by doing one of two things: increasing revenue or decreasing costs.

To increase revenue a business must increase the costs of the goods or services that they provide.

To decrease costs a business will lower the quantity or quality of the goods or services it provides or it will look to cut it's overhead. Cutting overhead can mean cutting employee hours or cutting the number of employees.

What does this mean in real world terms? This means that increasing minimum wage could, and most likely WILL, actually harm the very people it intends to help.

How, you ask? Because the businesses that low wage earners frequent are often discount stores and precisely the type of businesses that would have to increase costs and/or decrease overhead to mitigate the financial strain of the mandated wage increase.

Higher prices, fewer hours or jobs and yet another artificial drain on the economy.

Now raising minimum wage doesn't sound so good does it?

Posted 5:31 PM by Steve
I was deeply offended by Senator Jon Corzine's (D-NJ) characterization of Vice President Cheney during your comments on Social Security. To cast the Vice President in the same light or use an analogy with Saddam Hussein is totally unacceptable coming from a United States Senator. I sent a letter to Senator Corzine demanding that he apologize to the Vice President and the people of the this nation for such thoughtless words. In case he had forgotten Saddam Hussein led a regime that routinely kidnapped, beat, tortured, raped and murdered tens of thousands of Iraqis. To compare Cheney and Saddam Hussein is a travesty, it is offensive and an insult to an honorable man who has served in public office for many years.


It is one thing to differ on the course of action on Social Security. Senator Corzine's course, thus far, appears to be ignore the problem and leave it for someone else to deal with down the road. Vice President Cheney is at least open minded and progressive enough to consider any viable alternative.
In the future, Senator Corzine, please show some dignity, class and respect for your fellow politicians rather than engage in inflammatory rhetoric.