Alexander Graham Bell said, "When one
door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so
regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which
open for us."
March 3, 2008
February 9, 2008
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I have not been political on my blog but I want to bring out a good point. I know that President Bush is not too well liked at the present time and I also know that the most vocal groups are the Congress and the Presidential candidates. Seeing that the three front runners are all seated Senators, let us take a look at the Congress' approval ratings. According to the latest Gallup Poll conducted Jan. 4 - 6 finds, "32% of
Americans approving of the job Bush is doing as president and a mere
23% approving of the job Congress is doing. The previous figures were
32% and 22%, respectively." It kind of makes you wonder what the slogan "vote the change" really means.What brought this up was an article in Saturday's Washington Post, page A2, titled, "Bush's Little Lovefest." I quote, " President Bush's approval rating has sunk to such depths - a new Associated Press poll found it at a record-low 30 percent - that he could just about fit all of his supporters into one room." If that is the case, Congress could fit all it's supporters into one room with room left over. I'm not trying to judge if Bush has done a good or bad job - I am judging the Post and calling for fair and honest reporting. As a person with a degree in Journalism I was taught to report the facts and leave the opinions to the editorial page. There are times I think that the entire newspaper is just a press release from some candidate, special interest group or political party.
This is my two cents. Be careful. Trust no press release, candidate, political pundant or paper. Look behind the numbers and facts then make your own decision. The marketing people of both political parties will try to sell you their candidate like a tube of toothpaste.
I included the entire Gallup article so you could read it for yourself. Enjoy!
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January 10, 2008
No Improvement in Job Scores for Bush or Congress
Approval ratings hold steady at previous levels from December
PRINCETON,
NJ -- Public approval ratings of President George W. Bush and the
United States Congress haven't budged from their most recent December
readings. Both figures continue to be extraordinarily weak, approaching
historical low points in Gallup trends. While President Bush at least
enjoys majority support from members of his own Republican Party,
disapproval of Congress is a bipartisan affair. The
Democratic-controlled Congress is rated no better by Democrats than it
is by Republicans.Gallup's latest national poll, conducted Jan. 4-6, finds 32% of
Americans approving of the job Bush is doing as president and a mere
23% approving of the job Congress is doing. The previous figures were
32% and 22%, respectively.More generally, Bush's approval rating has bobbed between 31% and
34% for almost the entire period from May 2007 through today, averaging
33%. It fell outside this range only three times: 29% in July (the
lowest reading of Bush's presidency), 36% in September, and 37% in
early December. It averaged a slightly higher 35% in the first few
months of 2007.
Over the same period, Congress' approval has varied between 18%
(tied for the lowest congressional approval in Gallup records) and 29%,
although it has consistently been on the low end of that range since
November.
Republicans Back Bush
Three-quarters of Republicans (76%) currently approve of Bush's job
performance, compared with 20% of independents and 7% of Democrats.Support for Bush among Republicans today is comparable to what it
was a year ago, when Bush's overall approval rating averaged 36%: 75%
of Republicans approved of the job he was doing in January 2007 and 76%
approve today. His minimal support among Democrats also hasn't changed.
However, among independents, Bush's approval is lower today than it was
a year ago: now 20%, down from 29%.
Republican approval of Bush dipped below 70% in two surveys in July
2007 -- possibly a symptom of Republican disagreement with Bush's
support for the comprehensive immigration reform bill that died in
Congress in late June.He has clearly recovered from that period, but is still less well
rated by members of his party than he was for much of the period from
the beginning of his presidency in 2001 through about 2005.Democrats Not Boosting Congress' Ratings
Despite the Democratic majority in Congress, rank-and-file Democrats
are not nearly as supportive of the job Congress is doing as
Republicans are of the job the Republican president is doing. Only 27%
of Democrats currently approve of the job Congress is doing, nearly
identical to the percentage of Republicans saying the same. A smaller
number of independents approve (16%).Congress enjoyed a slight boost in approval from Democrats in the
first few months after taking control of Congress last year. From about
February through July 2007, more Democrats than Republicans approved of
the job Congress was doing. However, since August, ratings of Congress
by members of the two parties have generally been similar.
Bush receives a higher approval rating than Congress from most major
societal groups. The notable exceptions are young adults (aged 18 to
29) and groups that tend to be more Democratic in party affiliation,
including residents of the East, West, and low-income households.
Survey Methods
Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,023 national
adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Jan. 4-6, 2008. For results based
on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence
that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points.For results based on the sample of 423 Republicans or Republican
leaners, the maximum margin of sampling error is ±5 percentage points.For results based on the sample of 499 Democrats or Democratic
leaners, the maximum margin of sampling error is ±5 percentage points.In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical
difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the
findings of public opinion polls.
January 31, 2008
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The last couple of Sundays I've been in town I have visited the McLean Bible Church. At first blush, I am impressed! Visit their website www.mcleanbiblechurch.org and get their full story. One of their most impressive outreach efforts is the internet campus. This is a quote off their website:
"The Internet Campus is online expression of McLean Bible Church. It features live video cast services with music and message as well as offering online community. Through "the Lobby," campus attendees can connect before and after the service. Online Small Groups will be established as well. The Internet Campus will also share the message of Christ with secular Washington and the world through creative web based mission trips and targeted outreaches.
Internet Campus Services will be held every Sunday at 9:00 am and10:45am. The Frontline Internet Campus will hold services at 5:30pm. (Visit www.frontlinedc.com for the 5:30pm service.)"
They claim over 900 people worshiped with them on the internet last Sunday. Impressive.
October 13, 2007
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Happy 232nd Birthday to the United States Navy!
As many of you know, I live 1/2 block from the Navy Memorial in Washington, DC and today was the Navy's birthday. I went out this morning and heard the speeches, the Navy Band and watched the formalities. The world is over 70% water and God has blessed us with a strong Navy. I guess this was my way of saying thank you.
"Eternal Father, Strong to Save": The Navy Hymn
Eternal Father, Strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bid'st the mighty Ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we cry to thee,
for those in peril on the sea.O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard
And hushed their raging at Thy word,
Who walked'st on the foaming deep,
and calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
Oh hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea!Most Holy spirit! Who didst brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
And bid its angry tumult cease,
And give, for wild confusion, peace;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea!O Trinity of love and power!
Our brethren shield in danger's hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe'er they go;
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee,
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.
October 1, 2007
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Bwaaa Ha Ha! Just when you think things can't get stranger - I start playing with color!
I have finished my first month in Washington, DC! It has been an eye opener. I tell people that my short time here has answered soooo many questions. Headquarters is a very strange place. It takes a long time to get things done and everybody has to give whatever you are working on their approval. Now least you start snickering and saying things like, "Yep that's government for you," remember that most of you got us in the mess we are in. It's called fairness and rules. Everybody says that there ought to be a rule for this and a rule for that so we horrible government workers won't take advantage of the system. Well, all those rules have to be interpreted, followed and enforced. That takes time ... and a lot of lawyers. And don't get me started on the fairness issue. One of the big jobs of government is to try to be fair to everybody. Think about that. There is more viewpoints of what is fair and what is not than yours or mine. Yep, takes a lot of lawyers.
On another note, I went to the Arlington Church of Christ toady and they had a bilingual service. There is a spanish speaking part of the Church this is probably as big as the Angelo part. The Elders at Arlington are very supportive of the Spanish speaking part of the congregation. It was very moving to hear songs I know so well sung seamless from spanish to english. Half a verse spanish and half english and so forth. I have included a little video. Don't look at the video, listen to the singing - you might recognize the song! (There is a big spanish speaking population in Montgomery County).
More pictures. The top two are the Navy Memorial (my front yard) and directly across the street the National Archives. Moving on, yes I found something like Tex Mex! The National Potrait Gallery. I went there Saturday and spend two hours and that was not enough time. I didn't finish the first floor much less get to the second. An of course, the capital.
Kit
September 13, 2007
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Tomorrow ends my second week in Washington, DC. It has been a whirlwind getting settled down in my apartment and learning the ropes at Headquarters. I now can; log onto the computer, get my email, get into the office, find my office, find the coffee, find the restroom and best of all - get back to my desk without getting lost. So far. The first week Pam was up here and gave me proper female supervision setting up my apartment and finding important things like grocery stores. This week I am by myself.
My apartment is two blocks from work and the only reason it is two blocks is that I have to walk to the end of the second block to get to the entrance. Downtown DC is going through a renovation and there is stores and restaurants galore. The weather is very mild this week and tonight I ate outside at a restaurant at 10th and Penn with co-workers and vendors just across the street from the Old Post Office.
I am trying to get back into running (The 'ole Doc said so) and I have run the Mall, from the Capital to the Washington Monument, in the evening - beautiful. I have also been walking the streets (don't take that the wrong way)! There is so much history here, it is hard to know where to begin.
August 28, 2007
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The time is drawing near! I feel like a man with no home. It has been very stressful this summer with the uncertainty whether I would get the job and then the push to get things wrapped up. Now - I have no dog, I have no house (we signed papers with a relator Sunday), I have no office (the vultures are circling outside my office), I have no church, I have no shotgun (I gave it to the Primary Firearms Instructor today, it has been with me since my flying days), I have no one at home to talk to and I have no cases! I have thrown away a lot of stuff that I have held onto for many years. I wonder if this is what it feels like to retire?A new chapter begins Friday. I will leave Houston and then on 9/4/07 I will become a Supervisory Special Agent. I have resisted that title for 17 1/2 years! I hope I will have fun and will be able to contribute ... all I ever wanted to be was a Special Agent, pure and simple. To think I could compete on the national level is a bit scary and intimidating to me.
"Fugit inreparabile tempus” (Irretrievable time is flying)
August 6, 2007
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It is official, I will be heading to Washington, DC for 18 months. My first day is September 3rd, the day after Labor Day. I have an apartment 2 blocks from my work so I DON'T HAVE TO COMMUTE!! (Don't ask about the price.) This is a good thing because it is a promotion and will help my retirement. The move will also give me a chance to get away and come to terms with this church thing. More to come from a Red Raider goes to Washington ...
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