Original Sins

There are quotes from every U.S. president that become woven into the fabric of America. President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, President Franklin Roosevelt’s “we have nothing to fear but fear itself”, President Kennedy’s “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country” and President Reagan’s “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall” are all inspiring messages from the Commanders in Chief.

Some of the less inspiring but equally memorable presidential utterances include President Nixon proclamation “I am not a crook” and President Carter’s “malaise” television address.

The worst utterance from a president came last week during a Prayer Breakfast speech when Mr. Obama lectured Christians to “get off their high horse” when condemning radical Islam. Dredging up the Crusades and the Inquisition as examples of white European excess, he declared that the country had no right to condemn the ideology of those who are decapitating or burning alive their captives because our ancestors had been bad too. He then threw in slavery as an additional example of white cultural sin.

What the President neglected to mention was that while all cultures have dark chapters in their history, Christians have paid a hefty price to correct theirs. The Christian reformation beginning with Martin Luther challenged the excesses of the Catholic Church. Internally, the Catholic Church corrected the excesses of a bygone era and shed the intrigue. Today, numerous Christian denominations thrive peacefully and retain no remnants of the Crusades or the Inquisition.

The United States fought a civil war to eradicate slavery, at the expense of many citizens’ lives. The nation’s sin was washed away in the blood of its citizenry.

What amazed me was that no matter how much work has been done to correct the historical abuses of Christians; it is never enough for those who rule by guilt or excuse the bad behavior of others.  Personally, I feel no guilt for the crusades or slavery. I participated in neither. I do feel anger and revulsion towards those who currently slaughter innocents in the name of whatever ideology they claim to serve. 

Yellowstone Country Safety * False Snow Forecast *

My iPhone weather report indicated that were supposed to get snow every day last week. That was the most pitiful week of forecasted snow that I have seen!

Cowards with Guns

The shooting at Colorado’s Arapahoe High last week is the latest tragic example of a disturbed individual who decided his life was over and wanted to inflict maximum grief on others before he journeyed to the other side. Getting demoted in the high school debate team evoked a murder/suicide response!

Karl Pierson entered the school last Friday armed with a shotgun, a machete and three Molotov cocktails with the intention of killing his debate coach and as many students as possible. The carnage was limited to 17 year old Claire Davis before Karl was confronted by an armed school resource (police) officer. Realizing that his rampage was over, the suspect turned the shotgun on himself.

There is an established pattern to these attacks. They are directed at “gun free zones”. Assailants choose locations where people are not capable of defending themselves. Schools, theaters, airports and workplaces are chosen to maximize news coverage in a desire to share their inner pain before they leave this life. All seem to have submerged themselves into an emotionally dark mental state where they no longer have a grip on reality.

Having armed responsible adults in these locations would discourage these attacks. In Switzerland, every adult male owns a weapon and is a member of the military. Perhaps it is time for less gun control and more training. Local residents could take some responsibility for their own protection. While budgets do not allow for armed police officers in each school, there are plenty of retired peace officers who would be happy to guard their grandchildren.  Trained and certified parents could take shifts as well if necessary.

States should develop mental health programs to identify and treat those individuals who are seriously disturbed before they commit violent acts.

Claire is currently alive and hospitalized in critical condition. Pray for her and her family during their time of need.

Possible Rules for the Island Park National Monument

1.          No Hunting (especially wolves).

2.          No cutting of firewood (burning wood creates global warming).

3.          No building on private land without a federal permit.

4.          No ATVs

5.          Guided group snowmobile trips only.

6.          Maximum of 8 boats allowed on any river at one time. (You are upsetting the fish!).

7.          Camping permitted in designated campsites only.

8.          In the event of a sequester, Island Park will be temporarily closed (sorry).

9.          Park pass purchase is required to vacation in Island Park.

 More rules and regulations to follow …… Have Fun!

All That Is Old Is New Again

   In 1991, I began selling life and health insurance. The work was long but the money was decent and it seemed that I could be a help to others. It was a life far removed from the previous 11 years that I spent as a police officer for the City of Pocatello and as an owner of a bodybuilding gym.  Later I expanded into mutual funds and business was good. The industry was changing however. No longer did the corporate headquarters recognize significant value of agents in small markets. Eventually the company was sold to an international concern and I was let go.

   We started Bogden Outdoor Equipment in the hope that we could create an income for ourselves. I designed the Flashlantern and we were off and rolling. While promoting our new venture, I also spent the past year doing some bail bonds and fugitive recovery work.

New snowfall June 6 in the mountains above the cabin.

   I remarried eight years ago to Sheri and while I was dealing with my transition, she was facing her own obsolescence. She had been working in a mail house but the years of hard work had taken it's toll on her body. She has endured two surgeries on her right arm within the previous 18 months and was let go from her job.


   We became a couple who were both middle-aged and discarded . After some introspection, we decided that since the job market was not good, we would create our own jobs. We believe that one of the greatest advantages of this country is the ability to reinvent one's self  and create economic opportunity!




      We started Bogden Outdoor Equipment in the hope that we could create an income for ourselves. I designed the Flashlantern and we were off and rolling. While promoting our new venture, I also spent the past year doing some bail bonds and fugitive recovery work.  I took Sheri with me on a few arrests and she seemed to have fun.

   Finally, Sheri and I had an opportunity to move to Island Park, Idaho. We live about 5 miles west of the western border of Yellowstone Park. We both felt that it was time to reboot our lives and see what life has in store for us. This blog is a chronicle of our journey. Wish us luck and follow along if you would like.

  You can check out our products by clicking on the FlashLantern link on the right side of the blog page.

Environment

Stay away from CFLs, the corkscrew light bulb. They contain mercury. It makes no sense to introduce mercury into one's house or into our landfills. CFLs will end up being the 8 track tape players of lighting. Wait for something much better to be introduced. Stock up on regular light bulbs while they are still available. Here is an article by Mike Snyder that you might find informative:  get-your-dirty-hands-off-of-our-light-bulbs. An article by  Deirdre Imus about the danger-lurking-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs reinforces this view. Control what you introduce into your family's environment!
         
                                                                                                                                                       MB