Removal of AM From New Cars

There would seem to be panic over the concept that auto manufacturers are going to remove AM radios from their new cars. It would seem to some that it would be panic to talk radio. I guess I can see their point. There are some benefits to AM radio in modern society. However, it’s not that bad as it looks.

When I was a young man (mid 1960s), I had an AM/FM radio that neatly fit in my shirt pocket. And, guess what? It wasn’t all that expensive. It ran on a couple of double A batteries and for its size, it sounded good, especially with an earphone. I am sure they could build something like that today. It would be quite easy to make it so it could have Bluetooth or a USB connection. Or, of course, it could simply plug into a large powered speaker.

The folks that want AM would still have AM. They wouldn’t let the lack of AM in their car get in their way. On the other hand, it seems to me that the auto manufacturers wouldn’t gain that much by discontinuing the AM. Eventually, people will discover they don’t need the entertainment centers at all. My guess is that Auto dealers make a bunch of money off those things. If People say, we don’t want it, they don’t make a dime. A person can go down to the neighborhood auto radio installer and put one in that does have AM as well as a few other bells and whistles.

Actually, putting those AM radios in a car probably cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $10-15. Do they really want to risk the loss of customers and or sale of options for the savings of so little. Maybe. I don’t know. Whoever makes the decision just might be a dem. They don’t mind losing money, as long as it isn’t theirs.

As an aside. I sort of wish I had that old radio. It was a Zenith. They just don’t seem to make them like that anymore. It’s a shame.

Sorry, I Messed Up

I apologize. Don’t know how I overlooked it but I did. In my post about training and education, I overlooked one detail, a very important one. I did not mention that all should go through at least one semester of school devoted to The Constitution.

As a matter of fact, I would submit that before anyone be permitted to vote in federal elections, they should be required to be able to demonstrate a knowledge of The Constitution and The Bill of Rights. That should be a minimum. It is not to limit voters but to make sure that those who vote have some degree of knowledge about what they are voting for or against.

It would have a beneficial side effect. The dems would really go out of their way to make sure that everyone would be able to demonstrate a knowledge of The Constitution. That would be a good thing.

It would be good for the voter as he would be able to vote for what he really wants. It would be good for others, as the voter would make better decisions. Finally, it would be better for the country as it would make it more difficult for controllers to deceive the voters.

Can anyone really call that a bad thing. A good education is the enemy of the would be dictator. It is why it is one of the first things that dictators try to destroy. Ironically, the current would be dictators are destroying our education systems by pretending to make it better.

Controllers in Control of the Churches

It is no new idea of mine that it is time for our churches to rid themselves of control by DC. One might ask, “How is Washington controlling our churches?” By the tax-exempt status. The law says that if the preacher speaks on politics, then they are in danger of losing their tax-exempt status. Therefore, they don’t speak on politics. Therefore, DC controls the subject from the pulpits. It is the same way that Washington controls the schools, the speed limits and who knows how many other things.

But, if we give up our exempt status, then people will stop giving to the church. They will go to other churches. Sounds just exactly like what they want us to say. Hence, I say, DC has control of the churches. Right now, it is in a minor way. However, I suggest it will only get worse, not better.

Moreover, I don’t think God likes the idea of Old Joe controlling what is said from the pulpit. If God directs the preacher to speak on the subject, regardless of the subject, Joe really ought not have any say.

Next, do they call abortion a political issue. Already, it is getting difficult to bring up homosexuality, though the Bible makes it quite clear that it is not political. What happens when Old Man Joe fusses for churches speaking about January 6. The instant a preacher says those imprisoned should be pardoned, bang, there goes the tax status.

After a while, the line between politics and religion will be blurred more and more through time. Better that we lie down the gauntlet now. Tell them, it’s First Amendment territory. They have no business telling us what we preach or when we preach it. It is called freedom of speech. It’s called freedom of religion. It’s not called Remote control by DC by improper taxation.

We might lose some folks from the pews. Maybe it is better.

Then again, those churches that don’t mind receiving instruction from DC, then, by all means, say nothing about politics. Say nothing about abortion. Say nothing homosexuality. Careful about what say about crime and law enforcement. Mostly, don’t say a word about the candidates and what they believe. If we take money, then it’s not legal.

As my aside. Bear in mind, there are churches that have no problems maintaining their tax-exempt status while talking about politics, politicians and even encouraging politicians to speak from their podiums. They teach what the dems teach and they have no difficulty in blatantly disobeying the law. The dems have no difficulty blatantly ignoring the disobedience. And of course, one must be very careful about pointing this out.

Thanks Shelby County

They just approved a 50 dollar wheel tax. That will encourage a few to move south, or north, or west. Of course, it won’t make my property value to increase but a penny or two, but every bit helps. Besides, it’s really long term anyway. We all know that the fifty will always increase, never decrease. Who knows what it will be in a few years.

When a person looks at that long term, they just might decide DeSoto County might be better than Shelby County to call home.

Well, there is always that traffic problem but that will be here anyway. The folks from Memphis are flocking to the better safer and more convenient DeSoto eating places. I know. I can tell. On any given Sunday, Southaven’s Golden Corral parking lot is about half full with Shelby County car tags.

It’s okay. Y’ll just keep coming. We appreciate the business and the tax revenues. My guess is that over a year, Mississippi will make gain more off the extra sales tax revenues than Shelby County will gain on their wheel tax. Oh. And by the way, we appreciate the government up north encouraging the migration south.

Believable? Really?

Rarely does a situation come up where you just know the federal government is lying. One such situation was the report on the Kennedy assassination. I don’t have any idea how many believe that one, but it can’t be many. Too many holes in it. Actually, too many obvious holes in it. Too much secrecy. To many efforts to cover things up.

However, I’d like to call a new one to your attention today, the so-called suicide of the former monster we knew as Jeffrey Epstein. Oddly they are trying to say he committed suicide.

Actually, in a roundabout way, I do believe them. I don’t know about you, but I have seen more than one movie where the disgraced man is handed a gun. Then, of course, he is expected to us it…on himself.

I guess such things happened. I don’t know for sure. Likely there were a few German generals that were treated like that. The implication of course, “Avoid the disgrace. Kill yourself and permit your family to live on without the dishonor.”

You might ask, would I suggest that a monster like Epstein commit suicide? Probably not. I really don’t think the man had honor. On the other hand, he did have friends and relatives. Just how important to they were to him, I don’t know. In killing himself, he just might have proved he did care about them.

I mean, it would have been very easy for one of the guards to deliver him a message. Then of course, they would all leave him alone long enough for the threat to work.

With all the famous rich people who have so much at stake, it is easy for me to believe that the threat was made. It is far easier to believe that than the far out story some government officials thought up.

The thing is, it matters not. Just as with Kennedy, they don’t really expect us to believe it. With all that is at stake, no one will ever disprove it. Those that have the courage lack the means. Those who have the means, lack the courage. We don’t really have to swallow the story, just pretend we do.

And so it is, one of the most unbelievable stories in history will stand for the duration. All those involved with the monster, those that took the trip out to his little island can rest easy. No one will ever disclose their secrets. (May I remind a few of you? Pres. Clinton was one of those who took his plane out to the island a time or three. I guess he managed to slip through another one, though it cost the life of his fiend of a friend.)

Differing Points of View

Down through the history of the Republican and the Democrat parties, there have always been differing points of view. However, they both had the good of the country in mind. I don’t like the way President Kennedy did things. I really don’t like the way he managed his personal life, but he fought the communists’ countries fiercely and he always had the good of the nation in mind.

Today things are different. Not only do the parties have differing points of view, but the dems do not have well being of the country in mind. They hate the Constitution and are using its precepts to destroy it. Indeed, it is their desire to destroy the country and meld it into a single world government.

Worse yet, they are willing to ignore any law to accomplish it. They have no problem destroying the home of the brave so that they can install their nation of puppets. And yes, they stand accusing others of lying, while all the time telling their own whoppers. If they are caught in their lies and deceptions, then it’s back to their old ways, deny, deny, deny.

They continually demand compromises from the Republicans. Does anyone remember a dem was willing to give an inch. Invariably, in the end, there is no compromise with them. In the end, they win, and we lose. For if we keep compromising, we relinquish everything including our precious freedom.

Then, there will not be any more differing points of view. They will not be permitted. They won’t be allowed, even in thought. If you say something out of line, it won’t be the government after you. It will be your neighbors. It will be those who live across the street or across town. In the end, it will even be your friends in church, until, of course, there are no more churches.

Examples

I wish I were a better writer, especially when it comes to what I am writing. Maybe, I will get a little help from the Lord. The problem is that it is such a broad topic, and it is so easy to go chasing rabbits down trails instead of staying on topic. And to be sure, I am one who easily goes chasing rabbits.

I borrow the following partial definition from Miriam Webster of the word example. “1 : one that serves as a pattern to be imitated or not to be imitated a good example 2 : a punishment inflicted on someone.” I literally copied and pasted this into to my post. I hope they won’t mind.

We use the term so regularly that we sometimes overlook the meaning behind the word. Or maybe I should say the thought behind it. After all, words do represent thoughts. May I reword the above?

We point to good or bad examples to tell us what might be good or bad. That is to say, when our parents told us not to play in the street, they just might be able to point out what happen to the boy that was hurt. Sometimes, our parents point out what happened to an older sibling. In some cases, the sibling did something bad and that the example is not to be followed. In some cases, maybe the sibling did something good and went on to achieve wealth and fame. In some cases, it is impossible to live up to the example but at least we should strive to the goal.

We live in a world of examples: NY, NY; LA, CA; Chicago; SF, CA. They are all cities where the crime and murder rate is high. I certainly would not want to walk down the streets of NY, NY alone in the middle of the night. San Francisco is no longer the model city it was in yesteryear. The Windy city has some of the most stringent gun laws in the country and yet, hardly a day goes by where people there are shooting people. Sometimes, a person dies of an errant bullet simply because they happen to be standing where the bullet happens to be going.

I ask the question: Do we really want to follow the example of these cities? Is there a program that they are using, a plan that they are following that should serve as an example for the rest of the nation? I suggest the opposite is true. They have laws, regulations, and programs that should be held up to the world that should not be followed. They are horrid laws, and the cities are being led by incompetent people. They are not spending money in the right places, and they are giving monies to the wrong people. Their governments are corrupt, and they do not make decisions based on the good of the city or its citizens.

Yet, year after year, the same type people are elected to office. One might hang a sign outside their city halls, “Intelligent people need not apply.” Those who are honest have long given up the concept of trying to straiten out the mess the dems have created.

One can set off from afar and ask, “Why do they do that to themselves?” I mean, the people do get to vote in their choice and then they choose as they choose. Why is that? I don’t know. I have tried to figure it out but my feeble mind simply is not up to the task.

We can look at the states as well. We look at Florida, a really pretty good example of how to have a successful state. Then we look at NY and hopefully realize it is an example of how not to run a state. Or, perhaps we can use the state as an example of how to destroy a state. Yet we must assume it is what the people of NY want. It is what they voted into office.

Personally, I don’t understand it. New York used to be the most populus state. Next census, it might be fourth or fifth. CA is pretty much in a nosedive too despite their ideal weather. Is it their purpose to decrease the cost of living so all the elite will be able to get a good deal when they move in?

However…, being a poor example is not new. God had it all planned out. He would build a big powerful nation that would love Him, His law and follow His leadership. The idea was that the rest of the world would look at the Children of Israel and see how God built the nation up because they did as God commanded.

Well, at least in the short term, the plan failed. Don’t get the wrong idea. God knew the plan would fail from the start. Yet He decided to give Israel a chance and a short time later, the world looked on Israel and saw the example God wanted. Kings came from far and wide to see Soloman and the kingdom that God built.

And then it started falling apart. It’s not that I’m smart. A sixth grader can follow the pattern. Israel broke off from Juda and never did really follow the God. God issued warning after warning until he finally sent a king from the north in to take over. Israel became an example of what happens to a nation when they do not follow God.

Juda on the other hand, lasted a little longer. They followed a pattern. First, they would fall into sin and rebellion, and then they would repent, and God built them up again. I don’t remember exactly how many times that happened, but the last time was different. They fell into sin, and regardless of multiple warnings, they refused to repent. God raised up the nation of Babylon and they took over Juda.

Israel, that is to say, the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Juda, became an example of what not to do. For seventy years, Israel lived under captivity. Even then, they were never restored to their former glory. They lived under the control of Greece and Rome. The Jews had their kings, but they never were autonomous again. Now, today, when people talk about the Jews, there is no respect. They are disparaged and belittled. They are an example of what happens when people don’t do as God tells them. They had a free choice. God did not force them to follow Him. They made their choice and now we all see the example of what happens when man refuses to follow God.

Now. One day, likely soon. The world will once again see what happens when a nation will not follow God. People will look at the history of our once great nation and point and say, “They were once a great nation. The US was once undefeatable. But then they turned away from God.”

Then we will be the example, and not for good.

I suspect I did not do the subject justice. As I said, I am not that great with words. Yet, there are those who have read this are good word smiths. Feel free to use my words and thoughts to further my feeble efforts.

Where to Put a Bridge

The other day they did a news story about the I-55 bridge being closed for the weekend and I-40 bridge being partially closed for a while. For those unaware, that mostly isolates Memphis from Arkansas. My guess is that it really affected trucking the most.

At any rate, the news folks brought up a subject I heard about from time-to-time. It seems there is a third bridge is in the planning.

It made me wonder, just where will they put the third bridge? My first thought was, where it will do the least good. Then I figured maybe they should put it south of the stateline. Then I realized it was not only selfish of me but highly improbable. Most likely Tennessee money will go into the building of the bridge.

The proper consideration would be to build it a few miles north of The Hernando Desoto Bridge. This would make the most sense as it might help straighten the I-40 kink caused by the fiasco of the effort to put I-40 interstate through the middle of Memphis. (Long story. Too much to get into right now)

On the other hand, maybe it could be put in south of the I-55 bridge…in line with I-240 south. That would allow the old bridge to do what it was originally intended for, serve downtown Memphis.

Actually, none of it matters to me. They won’t decide, maybe for another decade. They won’t break ground for another five years. Maybe, if some going green outfit doesn’t object, they will open the bridge after another five years.

If, by some chance, the bridge is done before I depart this earth, I will very likely have no idea where or am, let alone where the bridge is.

It’s sort-of the way government does things; very, very slow, if at all.

Grid Lock in Horn Lake, Mississippi

I know. Those of you in NY, NY or LA, CA have little interest in what happens in little ol’ DeSoto County Mississippi, but you ought to.

Let me explain, please. In 1977, when I was discharged from the Marines, Highway 302 (also known as Goodman Road) was a little two-lane road that had more pot holes than any known human could count. When I moved to Desoto County, Southaven wasn’t a city; Olive Branch was a city, but barely.

Highway 302 was 2 lanes all the way from US highway 61 all the way past Olive Branch. Now it is at least 4-laned all the way from US 61 to US 72, about 34 miles. And, by the way, nary a pothole all the way.

Now why should you care, those of you in Southern California? What difference does it make to those of you on Long Island? Of what importance is it to those in the Windy City?

Well, here is the point. I tried to drive across through I-55 interchange today and I encountered gridlock. That’s right. It took me four lights in all to cross the 3 7 lane bridge in little old horn lake. We had gridlock. How can this be? When I first moved to DeSoto County, the Horn Lake population was about 5000. Now, the population is about 27 thousand. (Likely more than that, as it has grown since the census) If things keep going, I’d suspect that the city of Southaven will rival Jackson in a decade or two. If those dems keep messing thing us, up there, maybe sooner.

This is sort of odd if you look at the growth of Mississippi in general, which has been decreasing, at least for the last decade or so. Why is this? Why do we have so many traffic problems in our little towns in northern Mississippi.

Of course, I can only guess. I have no degree in such things. I have no degree at all. Yet, I have noticed a thing or two over the years. The businesses in southern Memphis are closing. They are shutting down. In some cases, they are closing their doors north of the state line and opening up offices and storefronts south of the state line.

Now how can this be? Memphis used to be a really nice place. I know. When I was in the Marines, I was stationed there, twice. I saw it as a really great place to live in 1968. Then, when I went back in 1972, I saw some deterioration. Finally, when I was discharged at Millington in 1977, I could see the beginning of the downfall.

Nowadays, people are leaving the city by the thousands, and not too many people are moving in.

While I am sure, as the scarecrow in The Wizard of OZ, we can point in many directions for the problems the city has. Mostly though, we must point to the leadership of the city. Every time they even hint at making a really dumb decision, the value of my home goes up a percent or two. By the way, it also follows that the value of homes in Memphis decrease. I am sure there are many that would like to move south but they have homes they cannot sell for reasonable prices.

Could it be…? Mind you, I am only asking the question. Could it be that the democrats really don’t know how to run a city? I mean…, in every place throughout the country, when the dems took over, the property values plummeted, and not just a little. May I remind you of Detroit where they are bulldozing homes down. Apparently, they can’t even give them away and leaving them vacant only leads to more problems.

And now, if you look around, we see it is happening with states. I understand it is difficult to find a U-Haul to rent in California or New York. You notice there are counties wanting to detach themselves from Washington and Oregon to attach themselves to Idaho. I wonder why. Do you suppose they are all trying to escape the dems? Do you think maybe they don’t like the idea of living under communist regimes? Do you think maybe they are tired of their tax dollars going to those who are too lazy to work. Mostly, mostly, I suspect they don’t like the way the dems run the schools. They would rather their kids be taught how to read and write instead of pretending to be the gender they aren’t? Do you suppose, maybe they would rather their kids be taught math rather than global weather change. Just maybe it would be better to learn history rather than the lies and the brainwashing.

Look out folks. One day they will come up with a law to keep you from moving from a dem state to a Republican state. I mean, how can they spread their vile lies when the kids keep leaving?

As my aside, safety is certainly a big factor as well. I saw the other day on local news program that Memphis restaurant owners have had just about enough. They want the city to start enforcing the law for the safety of their patrons and employees.

It is why the folks are coming south to eat. It is why the businesses are moving south. Not only is it safer but that’s sort of where the customers are going. They are simply following the crowd.

Meanwhile, the little house of mine has gone from selling at 25,000 to a value of right close to 110,000 in about 40 years. I kind of like those dems…, as long as they stay north of the state line.

Riot?

Former VP Pence alluded to Jan 6 being a violent riot. He just lost my vote. Can’t say I was leaning his way anyway but now I suspect that he likely believed that Pres Trump was behind it.

Sorry. Can’t agree with him on either count. The only one hurt was an unarmed woman that was shot as she was lying down. Can’t believe that she was much of a threat to anyone, certainly not the policeman that shot her.

As for Trump instigating it, he did all he could to stop it. Pelosi absolutely stood in his way. She refused to accept the federal troops he offered days in advance. More than that, it has the smell of being instigated by the dems. (Anyone seen Epps, the one waving encouraging the crowd into the building. Is he or any of the others who encouraged the crowd to enter the building FBI agents. Or maybe they’re just agents hired by the Dems.)

I figure it all out. Why can’t VP Pence? Nope. Can’t vote for him. Actually, I wonder why he is even running. Surely, he does not imagine he’ll get close.