Many people find themselves financially strapped through no fault of their own. Some of these situations include job layoffs, theft, and catastrophic medical problems. However, others literally send themselves to the poorhouse due to their own bad decisions and disregard for personal responsibility and self discipline. The directions below (in no particular order) are those which many...]]>Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Things+That+Infringe+on+Free+Speech-a01612032361


According to the U.S. Constitution, free speech is one of the rights that we enjoy as Americans. However, I see this right arbitrarily abridged every day, and most people seem to go along with it. In some cases, this violation of the First Amendment is even coded into law. Here are some things that should never be allowed to infringe on free speech rights, although they...]]>Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Why+It's+Good+that+the+USA+Is+Different-a01612027562


I get so tired of hearing members of the media remind us of things like the USA's status as the only industrialized country to do this or not to do that – as if it’s necessarily bad. For example, they will complain that the USA is unique among its peers in forbidding gays to openly serve in the military and in not offering its citizens universal, government-run healthcare....]]>Fri, 9 Oct 2009 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+Perils+of+Going+for+Two+Too+Early-a01612020783


No football team should ever go for a two-point conversion before the last few minutes of a game, no matter what the score. Doing so could create unintended consequences down the line.

Here’s an illustration. Let’s say a team that is trailing 10-9 in the third quarter scores a touchdown to take the lead, 15-10. It would be tempting for that team to go for two in...]]>Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Why+Polanski+Should+Not+Go+to+Prison-a01612011703


This past weekend, acclaimed movie director Roman Polanski was arrested in Switzerland on a 31-year-old warrant issued against him by Los Angeles prosecutors. The warrant resulted from an incident in 1977, when Polanski allegedly drugged and raped a 13-year-old girl at the home of actor Jack Nicholson.

After he was charged in 1978, the Los Angeles prosecutor at that...]]>Tue, 8 Sep 2009 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Twelve+Politically+Correct+Things+I've+Learned+on+TV-a01611988834American TV is now dominated by political correctness. That's the primary reason why I watch very little of it these days. However, I have watched enough of it in recent years to learn all of the following "precepts":

1) All burglary, drunk driving, theft, and violent crime are committed by white males.

2) There is absolutely no downside to going green.

3)...]]>Wed, 2 Sep 2009 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Jesus%3a+The+Inconvenient+Truth+-a01611983358


My local newspaper recently began an editorial by quoting a portion of Galatians 3:28 from the King James Version of the Bible as follows: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male or female….” Interestingly enough, the editors chose to exclude the final and most important phrase of that passage, which states, “for ye are all one in...]]>Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/A+New+Voting+Criterion-a01611926563


I’ve recently decided to use a new criterion to help determine my vote in any given election. I’m getting so tired of politicians spending most (if not all) of their campaign ad time talking about what they plan to do for schools, children, education, and colleges. During a recent gubernatorial primary campaign in Virginia, that was all one of the candidates could talk about....]]>Wed, 1 Jul 2009 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/A+Crime+Akin+to+Murder+-a01611915925


There is an atrocity that I believe to be nearly as heinous as murder. That crime is forced sodomy. No man, woman, or child should ever have to suffer from such a brutal act. In fact, when the men of Sodom and Gomorrah even attempted such a thing against some visitors, it was the final straw in God’s decision to destroy those two cities with fire and brimstone. ...]]>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Separation+of+Media+and+Law+Enforcement-a01611910369


Just as there is a separation of church and state in the U.S., I believe there should also be a separation of media and law enforcement. Members of the media are not law enforcement officers. No one should ever be convicted of a crime as a result of some kind of media investigation.

Any evidence acquired with the assistance of the media should not be...]]>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Aggressors+Should+Assume+All+Risk-a01611904912


When someone engages in aggressive behavior, he or she should assume all the risk. There ought to be a concept in the law to this effect. It is my opinion that, before someone commits an act of aggression, it should be incumbent upon him or her to predict all the possible negative fallout that might result from that action. This should be weighed in his or her mind before...]]>Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Powerball+Winner+Should+Be+Set+for+Life-a01611903800


Neal Wanless, the winner of a recent $232 million Powerball jackpot should now be set for life, even if he doesn’t make a penny of interest or other gains on his winnings. This young South Dakota cowboy, who previously had trouble paying his taxes, will never have trouble paying for anything else nor will he ever have to work again. That is, assuming he plays his cards right...]]>Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Death+Penalty+Not+Justified+for+California+Wildfire-a01611902616


A California man was recently sentenced to death after being found guilty of first degree murder for setting a wildfire that killed five firefighters. But the death penalty makes no sense in this case. He should have been convicted of voluntary manslaughter or perhaps second degree murder at most. The conviction and sentence he got don’t seem to match the crime. Sure, five...]]>Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Others+Should+Learn+from+Journalists%3f+Dilemma+-a01611900943


Young American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee have now been sentenced by a North Korean court to 12 years in a prison labor camp. Hopefully, though, these young ladies will soon be released so that they can return to their families in the United States. However, there is no guarantee of such a positive development. There is a chance they could be doing hard time in North...]]>