Owner: Flada Blog URL:http://blog.flada.com Join Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2007 23:13:29 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: For the purposes of this blog, an acronym was coined from the word Flada: Freedom, Liberty, and Democracy Argumentation. It is the author's intent to write articles primarily of a political nature. Most of these will be from the viewpoint of a libertarian Site statistics:Click here
Is The Majority Doomed To Minority Status? 2007-01-29 00:54:48 In a 2006 Zogby poll, it was determined that 59% of voters self-identified as fiscally conservative and socially liberal. According to The World’s Smallest Political Quiz at the Advocates for Small Government website, this is the definition of a libertarian. So why do libertarians consistently fare so poorly in elections? Is a [...] Read more:Minority
, Status
, Majority
End The Drug War: The Costs Outweigh The Benefits 2007-01-28 02:26:56 What kind of libertarian would I be if I didn’t start my new blog with the first entry calling for an end to the drug war?
Too often legislation is passed to deal with a social issue. Sometimes this hastily passed legislation seems like a common-sense solution, but more often than not the results are diametric [...] Read more:Benefits
, Costs
Teen Pregnancy: One Father's Perspective 2007-01-29 19:09:52 This is a paper that I wrote for a college composition class that I was enrolled in when my son was born in October of 2005. I’ve included it here because it is one of my favorite papers that I wrote in my college classes. My hope was to convey that life isn’t [...] Read more:Pregnancy
, Father
, Perspective
Test post 2007-01-30 00:58:19 Why Must You Go by Ed Snyder
test for podcast
Itunes users subscribe
Podcasting Coming 2007-01-30 18:16:12 I am in the process of implementing podcasting on my feeds so that people can listen to my writings. This is part of my effort to make things as appealing to my readers as possible.
With that being said, I have uploaded Podpress to my site which should make it somewhat easier–although with a [...] Read more:Podcasting
A Defense of War? 2007-01-31 19:04:46 No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.
- Douglas MacArthur
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume, among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal [...] Read more:Defense
Placeholder 2007-02-01 18:25:34 There are currently no entries by the Tent Lady. As soon as I have them, this is where they will appear.
Member Posts 2007-02-04 06:03:19 Flada Blog members now have the ability to post their own articles or blog entries. All entries will be reviewed by the Administrator before publishing. Currently the blog section of the site requires moderation by Admin for both entries and comments. I will make every effort to review both in a timely [...] Read more:Member
Individualist vs. Libertarian 2007-02-04 21:30:29 Readers who are close observers and who have followed this blog since its inception a whopping (roughly) one week ago may have noticed a few changes here and there. Some of the changes have been obvious and have even meritted an announcement in the “Site News” section of my front page. Others have been less [...] Read more:Libertarian
Political Power and the Rule of Law by Ron Paul 2007-02-05 20:06:07 The following article appears on the US House website and was written by Representative Ron Paul
(R), Texas. He is the one rare politician who consistently promotes the ideals of limited government, and government for the people and by the people.
Political Power and the
Rule of Law
February 5, 2007
With the elections over and the [...]
How to Start (or Quit) Anything 2007-02-05 19:30:55 What’s important to you? Does that seem like an all-encompassing, impossibly vague question? It isn’t meant to be, and it’s only the most important question you will ever ask yourself. You see, until you have priorities you can’t really classify things as “important” or “insignificant.”
Think about all the 12-step programs. What [...] Read more:Start
Political Power and the Rule of Law by Ron Paul 2007-02-05 20:06:07 The following article appears on the US House website and was written by Representative Ron Paul
(R), Texas. He is the one rare politician who consistently promotes the ideals of limited government, and government for the people and by the people.
Political Power and the
Rule of Law
February 5, 2007
With the elections over and the [...]
Strange Observations 2007-02-10 19:15:01 These are just a few observations that I’ve had. Some readers may have seen them before because I’ve written them on Open Diary several years ago.
Furniture stores
Is it just my city, or are there furniture stores going out of business everywhere every weekend? Has anyone else noticed this, people standing on the corner [...] Read more:Strange
What's Wrong With The Two Party System? 2007-02-13 19:45:59 What’s wrong with our American two party system? Really there’s only one thing wrong with it, there’s precious little difference between the two parties.
Find me an issue where they are completely opposed and I’ll stand corrected. But finding that elusive issue will prove difficult. The most obvious ones are social issues like [...] Read more:Wrong
, Party
, System
Revenge of The Wicked Witch 2007-02-16 19:06:50 *editor’s note: This is the first of (hopefully) many entries written by my mother, (The Tent Lady). She actually hasn’t sent any new writings, but has given me permission to go through some of her older writings and enter them for her. This entry originally appeared in her Open Diary on 6/29/2001. [...] Read more:Revenge
, Wicked
, Witch
5 Reasons Why You Should Homeschool 2007-02-19 01:17:17 There are many great resources on the internet for those who choose to homeschool their children. One thing that is a little harder to find are definitive reasons why you should consider this option. Recently, I read a heartfelt entry at Steve Olson’s blog about how public schools crush souls. This entry [...] Read more:Reasons
, Homeschool
Support Doctor "No" for President 2008 2007-02-21 20:23:42 In a previous entry, I posted an article by Ron Paul. Currently, he is considering a run for the Republican nomination for President
. I believe that he’s the best candidate in any party for people who like freedom, liberty, and limited government. I’d like to write a lot more about him, but I’m not sure I’d do him justice. So, I’ll just give a synopsis of his views as well as a few links to more information about him.
First, a very brief biography:
Biography
Dr. Paul is a former US Air Force flight surgeon and a civilian OB-Gyn. He formerly ran for President with the Libertarian Party and has now served since 1996 in the US House of Representatives as a Republican. And, although he votes procedurally with Republicans, his votes on policy are often diametric to the Republican mainstream. His frequent dissents on otherwise unanimous votes have irritated other Republican representatives and have earned him the nickname “Dr. No.”
(more… Read more:Support
, Doctor
Interview With A Libertarian (Part 1) 2007-02-23 03:50:44 A few days ago, I decided I wanted to interview a libertarian and make a blog entry about it. There’s a local radio personality (that’s DJ in case you couldn’t decode me) who I would love to talk to, so I’ll try to make that happen sometime if he’s willing. But some readers may not want to wait so I tried to figure out who I could interview on a much shorter notice. Then it came to me: me!
Now, I realize that interviewing myself may not be fair. After all, won’t I know the questions and answers in advance? Well, to be honest I actually end up surprising myself a little bit every time I put fingers to keyboard, and this time proved to be no different. Some might also be concerned that I’ll only throw myself softballs. So, you will have to be the judge of that.
FB: Many people may be a little confused by the term “libertarian.” Just what does it mean to you to be a libertarian?
Ed Snyder: To me, it means that my foremost co Read more:Libertarian
Pulling Out Is Getting Popular 2007-02-25 19:29:11
If current polls at USA Today are any indication, Americans have lost their resolve in regards to Iraq. According to the article, about half of respondents think that we should pull troops out immediately.
Over the past few years, I’ve heard this war compared to Vietnam many times, and I’ll grant that there are some similarities. Regardless of the similarities, and regardless of whether or not you thought that ousting Saddam Hussein in the first place was a good idea, we did decide to do it. (more…)
My Favorite Host 2007-02-26 18:55:47 All of my entries are self-serving to some degree. This is because I like to write about things of which I’m passionate. One of my great hopes is that my passions and my expression of them have value to any readers who stumble across my blog. There are several reasons why I want this. The most significant reason is that I am elated when I look at my stats and see that someone on the island of Mauritius, or someone in the Russian Federation has read what I have to say. They say that pride goeth before a fall, but I say that’s BS. A healthy, but tempered, sense of pride is an underlying cause of many of the greatest achievements in the history of mankind.
With all of that being said, this particular entry is even more self-serving than most. However to those who take advantage, it too will hold much value.
This entry is about my host service, Lunarpages.
(more…) Read more:Favorite
When I Became a Big Black Hunter (by the Tent Lady) 2007-02-28 20:27:20 originally published on Open Diary: 6/23/2001
When I Turned into A 6′8″, Black
, Male Hunter
(on my walk)
It was after 11:00 when I climbed into my tent. It was set back from the river about 200 feet. Right next to a picnic shelter.
It happened in Willoughby, Ohio. It was a cool October night just after a rain. Very black, back so far away from town.
I had just begun to doze off when some kids came to use the shelter. The table they picked to use was the one nearest my tent.
They talked and were having fun until one of them noticed a sign painted on my tent that said, “GO OUT INTO THE WORLD AND DO GOOD THINGS.” It comes from Proverbs, and there is more but that is all they read aloud. Trying to decide if it came from the Bible or not they lost their good humor and begun to get belligerent.
(more…) Read more:Big Black
Gun Bans - Is It Something In The Water In Durham? 2007-02-27 21:16:50 Following is an article from the Durham
, North Carolina newspaper, The News and Observer. The article is about proposed legislation that would require a permit to purchase ammunition. I’ve taken the liberty of interjecting my own statements into the article which will show up in blue Comic Sans MS (because that’s my favorite font).
I like to remain positive and forward-looking in this blog. Sometimes that’s difficult.
Ammo permit measure weighed
The News & Observer ^
| Feb 27, 2007 | Matt Dees
Matt Dees, Staff Writer
DURHAM - Gun owners looking to reload would have to show a permit every time they buy ammunition, if a bill backed by Durham officials gains state approval.
The proposal championed by the Rev. Melvin Whitley, a local community activist, will face opposition from gun-rights groups.
(And any other liberty-conscious person.)
Whitley told state lawmakers and Durham City Council members Monday that anyone over 18 can buy ammunition without being subje
Narrow Roads with Sidewalks and Bad Drivers 2007-03-04 23:45:36 Do you want to know one of the nice things about my blog’s topic? It leaves me open to write about just about anything and still stay “on topic.” Since I’m writing about my perspective on politics and life, that’s wide open. If it were just about politics, I’d be very limited. “Life” is much broader, though. I’m glad I threw that in there.
So today I’m going to write a little bit about my neighborhood. I may even write a bit about living in Hampton Roads
in general since we’ve been here for three years and only have about another two months before we move on.
Drivers
Now a lot of you may not know this, but I’ve traveled pretty extensively. Between serving in the Navy and working in field service, I’ve been to a lot of places and seen a lot of things. I’ve been to places where its almost fun to drive around. Let’s just say that Hampton Roads isn’t one of those place. If not for havi Read more:Narrow
, Sidewalks
Site News: Holiday Header Images 2007-03-05 18:31:54 Some people may have noticed my header images have been changed occasionally to celebrate various holidays. Examples of these have been my Valentine’s Day header, my President’s Day header, my Mardi Gras header, and currently my Kasimir Pulaski Day header. As well as having these, I have made a few with my image that I’ll randomly throw up just for the fun of it.
(more…) Read more:Holiday
, Images
Wedding and Bugs 2007-03-14 04:09:57 I apologize to my readers and listeners for falling a little bit behind on posting. Over the weekend, my family made a road trip to DC where I was honored to be the best man at my older brother’s wedding. It was a fantastic trip in which I had no contact with the internet whatsoever.
We returned on Sunday evening and settled back in. Monday morning, my 17-month-old son was pretty much covered in vomit and had diarrhea and vomiting on and off yesterday. Today, there have been no abnormal discharges, but there has been fever. We shall see if he’s better by morning. If not, there will be a trip to see his doctor tomorrow.
I did want to note that Dr. Ron Paul formally announced his candidacy for President yesterday. Now I will be holding my nose and registering Republican so that I can support him in the primaries. He has a very strong grass roots organization that could be very competitive–perhaps even as much so as was Ross Perot. I realize that we’re fig
Are Homosexual Acts Immoral? 2007-03-16 20:13:18 I’m sure that by now all of you have heard about the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Peter Pace’s public soul-searching about homosexuals and their acts. In the unlikely event you haven’t, I’ll get you up to speed.
In a March 12, 2007, discussion with editors of the Chicago Tribune, Gen. Pace said, “I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts…I do not believe the United States is well served by a policy that says it is okay to be immoral in any way…As an individual, I would not want [acceptance of gay behavior] to be our policy.” Pace believed such conduct should be subject to military discipline, as it was analogous to a member of the armed forces conducting an adulterous affair with the spouse of another service member; “We prosecute that kind of immoral behavior,” Pace said. In the same discussion, however, Pace also said that he supports the “don& Read more:Immoral
, Homosexual
Army or Navy Souvenir Throw Pillows For Sale 2007-03-18 18:02:33 I’ve been selling surplus Army and Navy uniforms on Ebay for several months. The men’s Army uniforms have sold pretty well. But I have huge bags of practically new women’s army dress uniforms and boxes of brand-new, in-the-package women’s Navy utility shirts that apparently won’t sell. While staring at these I came up with a great idea… I am now selling fabulous throw pillows that are made from the Army dress jackets and Navy utility shirts.
————————————————-
I plan to make these available at My Ebay Store, My Amazon Store, and possible Etsy (although I’ve never sold there, I did set up an account).
Or you can buy them directly here and finalize the transaction securely through Paypal.
Army Throw
pillow:
Premium 16 IN x 16 IN pillow insert
100% Poly-fil Supreme polyester fiber interior
Stitched with reinforced corners for durability
Unique w Read more:Souvenir
, Pillows
How Important Are Tests? 2007-03-20 18:36:58 Cheating
Yesterday, I was on one of the OpenDiary boards where a public school teacher was lamenting that it seems to have become a socially acceptable practice for students to cheat. This got me thinking quite a bit about the topic of cheating. My actual reply was as follows:
My opinion:
It all depends on how you define cheating. As someone who has homeschooled and will homeschool again when my sons are of school age, it is difficult to cheat. Except for things like plagiarism, how does one cheat if one doesn’t have classmates?
As a former instructor, I have always been a believer that getting the correct result is the most important thing. Having worked in the real world, I know that when it comes to getting a job done, getting it done correctly matters a lot more than what resources one uses to complete an objective. Let’s say I have to repair a control system that isn’t working. Should I just walk up to it and rely on my memory of how the machine functions?
Enjoying a Beautiful Day 2007-03-22 21:05:33 Sometimes it’s fun just to relax and enjoy the spectacular weather. Currently it’s 75 and Fair in Norfolk, VA. I’ve been lazing on the front porch for the last few hours and figured I could put the time to good use.
My 17-month-old, Conrad, is playing with toys and his “baba” which is what he calls a ball. I dragged the laptop out and the Wacom tablet and doodled a little illustration to go with this entry. There won’t be anything political about this entry. There won’t be anything about the traffic or pedestrians in the street. It’s too nice out to be thinking about such things at all. Sometimes it’s nice just to take a little time, put away all worries and cares, and enjoy life. I strongly recommend it.
Maybe you’ve heard it said before that there are no bad days–any where you wake up and find you are still able to enjoy life are good. For the most part, I hold to that theory. Even so there is a difference be Read more:Beautiful
Temporarily Offline 2007-04-02 04:26:30 Due to an impending military transfer, Flada Blog will probably not be updated much for the next few weeks.
As mentioned several times before, my wife, Alena, is a Navy Corpsman. We currently have orders to Pensacola Naval Hospital. Our internet connection has been shut off and this makes it a little more difficult to update and post. There may be occasions that I will write, then take my laptop to a hotspot to post. Even so, much of my time over the next few weeks will be dedicated to packing and preparing for the move.
My thanks to all who have made my blogging enjoyable up until now. If you are a subscriber, stumbler, accidental browser, or whatever, I will return to more regular posting either near the end of April or the beginning of May once we’re settled into Pensacola and have the cable internet up and running again.
I will try to read the blogs of my friends and favorites when I can.
Much love to you all.
Ed Snyder Read more:Temporarily
, Offline
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