The world has lost a unique individual with the passing of Steve Irwin. I'm sure you know the details by now, so I won't get into any of that. I will though, share my views on what we lost. I was surfing the web Sunday night when I learned of his death at around 3:00 AM EST. I couldn't believe it. I was saddened and shocked. You might think I'm overreacting even writing about him, much less saying what I am saying, but Steve was a gift to the world and a model for us all. I want you to realize that and why.

Steve Irwin's energy and enthusiasm was contagious. His love of life was visible every moment you watched him. He never lost seeing the world through the wonder of a child. His achievements were many and his fame global, but you could tell he honestly didn't do what he did solely for the purpose of money. His aims were more lofty. He did it because he loved what he did and it showed in his eyes. Whether he was teasing crocodiles, or showing us a snake, he was just wonderful because he could translate that wonder to us all. That was his gift.

Never did I think I would see Mr. Irwin die at such a young age. I expected to live the rest of my life watching him show us his latest new discovery. Since his death I've watched newscasts and reruns showing Steve at his best. I've seen Steve teeter “Baby Bob” away from the almost certain jaws of reptilian death with a smile on his face and a laugh in his heart. I was neither shocked nor appalled by this behavior. It was Steve giving and imprinting his son with the gift he had—a life where you made life and embraced it your own way. What I found appalling were the people who were shocked by this and tried to hurt him. They thought he endangered his child, yet these same people probably wouldn't think a thing of loading their own kids into the car, flying down the road 10 miles over the speed limit and talking on their cell phones. I think Steve would understand my point of view. People like this were the ones he was trying to educate. He wanted them to know that there were other things in the world to be concerned about than their own little points of view. People who probably wouldn't even put on the brakes if an animal ran in front of them. I've known people like that and you probably have too.

It's so remarkable that Steve Irwin touched so many people around the world just by being himself it's amazing. Politicians, movie stars, musicians, religious leaders, none are known or will be remembered for as long as the Crocodile Hunter. None brought such pleasure to the world by sharing who they were.

Goodbye Stevo. You will be missed my friend.

When a country has a majority of Muslims living within its borders, then sharia law is almost always implemented in some form or another as commanded in the Koran. These are the collections of laws that dictate Muslim life from women wearing headscarves to how a Muslim can invest. If you think this is farfetched then realize that world banking organizations already are trying to accommodate Muslim sharia law. This article points out: “The sector is fuelled in large part by the recycling of petro-dollars from the Gulf region and is believed to be anywhere from $200 billion to $400 billion in size globally and is built around the concept of profit-sharing rather than the charging of interest. Devout Muslims who invest along sharia guidelines will not purchase assets that pay interest, or that derive profits from alcohol, pork or gambling.” As the saying goes, money talks. What banks would not want a chunk of that $400 billion prize? How long will it be in what we call the free world before business starts trying to cater to these beliefs?

The article quoted above points out that there are differences in interpretation of the Koran around the globe. But another article here shows that some clerics like the recently released Abu Bakar Bashir from Indoneasian jail (the Bali bombing) are arguing for a world-wide implementation of sharia law. Quote: “"all Muslims to unite behind one goal" and implement Islamic sharia law around the world…”

It also points out his other views: “The United States is a state terrorist because it is waging war against Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan,"

What we, who are considered infidels and second class citizens under sharia law must understand, is that the true threat to our freedom and our world are those that follow this type of Muslim faith. Even though Muslim clerics like Bashir, who is considered a “man of peace”, men like these stand for laws that allow absolutely no opposition to the Muslim faith, or other people's beliefs and points of view. Consider this the true threat.

(a comment on his speech tonight)

There is no chance in hell that Bush's temporary workers program will float. Not one. It looks like nothing more than government waste. High tech ID cards? Criminal background checks? A boondoggle of government bloat.

"Second, to secure our border, we must create a temporary worker program. ... I support a temporary worker program that would create a legal path for foreign workers to enter our country in an orderly way, for a limited period of time. This program would match willing foreign workers with willing American employers for jobs Americans are not doing. Every worker who applies for the program would be required to pass criminal background checks. And temporary workers must return to their home country at the conclusion of their stay. ..."

If from what he says, they would have to apply and follow the rules with limited jobs available. There is absolutely nothing for those with a criminal past, those that missed the job lottery, or those that still just want to work and send home money to submit to this farce. Does President Bush think they will just quit coming? Or return to a simple life of poverty when their job ends?

This is the first gross ignorant blunder in my mind that Bush has done. How anyone could actually think this is beyond me.

And he talks about beefing up urban border areas, with better fences, and more police patrols. Now Joe Mexico sits there and looks at the well patrolled border crossing and then looks at the vacant field crossing a few miles away. Now I wonder which one he would choose. I firmly believe that this plan sounds like one of extreme expense with a zilch chance these measures will do one bit of good.

And I have stood by this man and I still will, but on this issue, he couldn't be more wrong. Please someone with some kind of sense stop this madness before it gets any further.

“Con”

"As slow as this place is (my Forum), and its home site (here), I sometimes think about closing it all down.

"Then I think about how many people have come here from across the country and the globe and posted, or read my ramblings on my main pages and I say why not--why not just keep leaving it up? At least I have gotten more readership than some blog sites that seem to be talking about their own popularity with a few replies.

"Well I've has more than 132,523 page views since I put that up and more when you count in when the counter wasn't in place. I've also had as many as 176 visitors in a month's time--which isn't great at all, but better than nothing.

"But--my site has had visitors from at least if not more than 32 different countries--From Russia to Oman, and even the US government has visited here. And over 1000 from unknown areas. This isn't too shabby I guess. Well it's good enough for me even if my site isn't all that great, or the "wrong color"--it's the words and the message that counts in the end.

"And your words too. Thank you."

"Conservative"

I find it ironic and sad that they and the rest of the world can attack Christianity and the image of Christ or God anytime they want and there are no national apologies. They can murder us and murder innocent Jews at every chance in the name of Allah, and there is no Muslim outcry. If you don't understand how this works, you don't understand how the modern Muslim religion spreads its views, and is installing them in the workings of new lands they immigrate to. This is the threat of their religion. We must bend to their will, not them to ours. In the end, if only 10% of them kill infidels to make them convert, while the other 90% gets insulted if you speak out against their ways, then the whole world will lose out on any kind of future growth. If you don't understand that too, then may God help you.

“Con”

My own opinion on the program is it was indeed an attack on common Christian values. To explain this, I would say the program fell short in what it lacked. For instance, the daughter says she was selling drugs so she could buy better computer equipment to follow her love of creating Japanese style animations. The parents are mad at her for getting into trouble, and it shows Daniel preaching about giving in to your temptations. But it falls short in that no one says breaking the law so the teenager can get what she wants is wrong and selfish. No one tells her that supplying illegal vices to others may be doing others harm. Or that if the child wants something she has to work for it, rather than taking the easy route. This is only one example.

The base of the show seems to be centered on breaking the lines, and diffusing values. It tries to break the lines on morality, then throws in small verbal shocks in place of interesting dialog. In the end, one can only come to the belief that the program is typical of the Hollywood "values" we've come to expect and their constant push to alter average acceptance of what has traditionally been considered outside the boundaries of typical Christian morals.

I'm sure liberal self appointed pseudo-intellectuals will find it “stimulating” and rave on the programs revealing “insights” and blather on about the programs “merits” giving them a platform to condemn mainstream Christianity. I on the other hand just found the show's attack rather dull and boring and not much else. I'd be surprised to see this one make it.

“Conservative”

And here is wishing you prosperity and best wishes in the coming year. I thank you for visiting these pages and thank those that are participating on the forum here. May this year bring those of you better times than the last.

"Con"

Comment from a reader, 12/2/05: Abortion should illegal in the world because its murder and it says in the Bible and it is the 6th commandment, and if it is alright to kill a "fetus" (baby) then it should be alright for people to kill each other which is wrong on so many levels. Life is important, you could be killing someone who would find a cure for AIDS or Cancer. Killing is killing no matter how you word what your killing. Written by anonymous

Reply: Couldn't agree with you more.....

"Con"