Timothy Lawton

Timothy Lawton — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 22:49:13 +0000

A captain is called to the sea not to control it, but to guide us over its’ waves.

The Thought

Timothy Lawton — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 22:45:00 +0000

The Thought
12/01/1997

From the vast infinitudes of deepest space
To the infinitessimal confines of nothingness
Always salient is the thought,
the being, the presence
But a raindrop in the sea
A leaf in the forest
A breeze in a storm
Nothing is lost, nothing is forgotten
The mind of God fills the sea
The eye of God sees the leaf
And the hand of God catches the wind
It is all seen and all heard
We are but a letter in the cosmic books
A single letter in the library of time and space
Yet, all meaning is lost when we leave the page
Or, set out to make our own word

STOP CRYING WOLF ON RACISM

Timothy Lawton — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 01:50:40 +0000

     Recent events have forced me to address the issue of race relations in the United States of America. The NAACP has issued a resolution calling on the Tea Party movement to expel the “racists” from their ranks. Doing this without one shred of evidence to support their contention. Eric Holder’s , so called, Department of Justice has refused to prosecute members of the New Black Panther Party for voter intimidation during the Presidential election of 2008 in Philadelphia. This despite the fact that there is video proof of threats being directly made by those charged. And, of course, the constant litany of the left that anyone who opposes President Barak Obama is a racist. If real racism is to be taken seriously the people levelling these accusations need to stop crying wolf.
     Anyone who knows the history of this country knows that racism, prejudice, and sexism have played a large role in our past. Yet, the schisms we see today on this issue reveal how we in our various groups view the life of this country. On one hand we see the liberals which attribute every malady that affects any minority in any way to the injustices of earlier times. On the other we see those like myself who look to the continued inclusion and expansion of the places of minorities in our society. It is easy to drum up emotions about the hardships faced by various groups throughout our history, but that denies the progress we have seen over the last 234 years. That progress does not alleviate the sufferings of the individuals that endured them, but it does point to the fact that our society has grown ever closer to that clarion call of 1776 that we are ALL created equal. This is our ideal, this is what our country was founded upon, and it is the core belief that defines us as a nation.
     Yet, there are those that cannot let go of years gone by. They define everything in our culture based only on our failings. Yes, racism exists today. Yes, the structures of power are still disproportionately in the hands of those who represent those who dominated in the past, but we would be foolish to even compare the year 2010 to even 1960. And, even more foolish to try to compare today to 1860 the year that Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States of America. The Civil Rights act became law in 1965. We have seen 45 years of legal equality at the Federal level and we can no longer look back over two generations to define what it is we see around us today.
     Often when I am witness to, or am party to a discussion, on race relations a peculiar mentality of some of those on the left is revealed. They have a world view which is entirely constructed on the injustices of the past. They act as if the times we live in now have no difference from those that existed decades or even centuries ago. To these people every black person is still a slave and every women is still barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen. Every white man is an illustrious landowner given every privelege that society can offer. Every minority is still at the mercy of the whims of the elite who hold the reigns of power. Not only is this ridiculous, but it flies in the face of the realities that are our everyday lives. No one who truly is observing our current culture can honestly say that race, sex, religious viewpoint, sexual orientation, or ethnicity play but a small role in what we are able to achieve as individuals. Yet, racism and other prejudices are used time and time again by the liberals to attack anyone who holds an opposing point of view on any issue from them. This not only dilutes the validity of real oppressive acts, but it weakens the foundations for what they believe they are fighting.
     Marc Lamont Hill, a black man that I have very much respect for, was recently on a television show discussing this very issue. He is a PHD and quite an intellectual. Yet, as is usually the case with him, he found his way to defending the indefensible. Rather than condemn the NAACP’s resolution against the Tea Party without any evidence he espoused a twisted path of logic to defend it. When he, and others like him, use antiquated aspects of our past to define our culture today they only serve to deafen the ears of those who are parts of these supposedly priveleged classes. According to him I am one of those who holds “institutional power” due to the fact that I am white, male, straight, and middle class. Wasn’t it he who was on TV? Isn’t it he who is having his voice heard by millions? If I hold so much power why am I not in his position? Simply put it is because he has done the things that it takes to get that kind of recognition and I am still trying to replicate similar efforts to achieve the same goals he has reached. So who has the power in this instance?
     Similarly the administration of the first non-white President repeatedly defines everything by race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and religious belief. The head of NASA has stated that his main goal was to show the muslim contributions to man’s achievements in space. Arizona’s law respecting proof of legal residence in the United States is challenged by Eric Holder’s Department of Justice despite the fact that the law only mirrors Federal statutes that have been in existence for decades. And ending the military’s don’t ask don’t tell policy takes precedence over clean up from the Gulf oil leak. Who is it that cannot simply see us as individuals, but must always define us as part of some sub-category or group?
     There is real racism. There is real inequality. There is real injustice in this country and the world. Yet, the constant iteration of our differences rather than our similarities only serve to divide us. They only serve to separate us from one another. The double standard that is so consistently applied by the left that allows certain groups, in their minds, to say and do things that another group cannot in open society stratifies us into different classes. It is the liberals who perpetuate this concentration on our differences. It is their focus on classifying everyone as a victim or an oppressor which aids in maintaining the microcosms from which we all come. Yes, we have different experiences, backgrounds, and oppurtunities, but aren’t we all human beings?

What Else Should I have expected?!!!

Timothy Lawton — Wed, 12 May 2010 00:50:52 +0000

FROST: I prepared for warmth and I got cold. What a surprise!!!

Planting Early In New jersey In 2010

Timothy Lawton — Sat, 08 May 2010 22:53:36 +0000

This is the first year that I have started to clear out my greenhouses so early. Usually in northern New Jersey our target date of the last frost is between May 10th and 20th. This year I took a calculated risk and brought all of my trays of seedlings out around the last week of April and the first week of May. Hopefully any truly cold weather will hold off and this will not be a mistake on my part. The next few days will be a little iffy between wind and possible frost, but it was a chance I had to take.

PS I’ll be trying to design fences of fishing line to protect some of my gardens from the EVIL deer. I’ll try to post about how it works out.

Greece, Spain, and Portugal: Obama’s Vision For America

Timothy Lawton — Sat, 08 May 2010 22:36:25 +0000

Why is our President following failed economic models? Socialized medicine, Cap and Trade, and higher taxes are all PROVEN disasters. Yet, Obama continues to take us further down the red brick road. His penchant for Marxist professors not withstanding, does he really believe that what he is doing is best for the country? Or does he have some ulterior agenda? His policies are so detrimental to the nation that it is necessary to ask these questions. The socialist economies of Europe are on the verge of economic collapse. Every state in the Union that has similar policies are on the verge of collapse as well. New York, California, New Jersey, and Massachusetts are just the most salient examples. If it hasn’t worked it seems that this President is willing to try it.

Rather than cut spending he has dramatically increased it. The deficits he is running are 300% over the worst deficit of the Bush years. On top of that he, and his liberal cohorts, managed to ram through a 2700+ page health care bill that no one read in its entirety. According to Nancy Pelosi, Democratic leader of the House, we needed to pass the bill in order to find out what’s in it. That sounds like genius to me. So, maybe we should pass other legislation on blank paper and the dictatorship could just fill in whatever they want whenever they want. Then we could at least stop calling ourselves a Republic. What exactly will be the Democrats crossing of the Rubicon? When will we actually see that we are no longer citizens in a democratic society, but slaves in a liberal fascist totalitarian state?

As it stands now we can be personally regulated by the federal government at any point. This is due to the fact that CO2 has been designated a pollutant by the Supreme Court. This essentially means that the EPA can, without Congressional consent, devise any scheme it wants to reduce emissions of this “dangerous” greenhouse gas. Mind you that water vapor is the most prominent heat trapping gas and we breathe that out as well. We now live at the whim of whoever heads the EPA and under this President that is a truly frightening prospect.

This imminent decline into socialism is further evidenced by the fact that the public sector is hiring more employees than the private sector. Our GDP is now over 40% federal government spending. What does this say about the future if we do not change the course that we are on? When will the pensions of these public employees become so onerous that we will have to enact austerity measures to curb their exhorbitant cost? Will our federal dependents act like the leftist hooligans in Greece and riot? I marvel at the fact that so many people in this country do not see the coming disaster if all of this is left unchecked. We are now not only spending the money of our children, but the money of our grandchildren as well. This is unsustainable!!!

Mr. Obama continually does anything he can to sabotage the long running well being of this nation. Every economic policy he has enacted, or proposed, will lead us to financial ruin. Yet, we still have financial reform and cap and trade on the horizon. Who will invest money when the capital gains tax goes over 40%? We’d be better off avoiding the risks of investment and hiding our hard earned dollars under our mattresses. With taxes going through the roof, investment hindered, and businesses regulated out of profitability what will we do to survive? The economic recovery we see right now is only a mirage. When the full actions of this President, and his socialist allies, are realized we will descend into an economic abyss. Take a look at the healthcare bill that we supposedly needed so urgently that no one had time to read it. If we were so pressed for time why are so many of it’s provisions not enacted until 2013? Could it be that the leftists who pushed for the bill knew how unpopular many of these new laws and taxes would be and that this could cost Obama the 2012 Presidential election?

Europe is crumbling under the weight of entitlement. Numerous “blue” states are facing tremendous budgetary problems. Our Federal debt is nearly 100% of our GDP and it is forecast to become almost twice that in the next ten years. Now is the time to stop wasteful spending. Now is the time to reign in this runaway train. If we do not stop this profligate spending we will become Greece, Portugal, and Spain. It is time to stop the bailouts and let this house of cards fall. Every day that we continue this unsustainable path only increases the economic pain that it will take to correct the situation. True leaders have to explain this to the majority of the masses that still do not understand. All this spending has to stop and today is the day to begin.

It’s Time To Start Planting 2010

Timothy Lawton — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 20:59:40 +0000

Well, we are witnessing another strange season in norhtern New Jersey. No surprise!!! I’m almost done with my indoor seeds and have started many outdoor plants. Peas went into the ground about a month ago and I recently planted lettuces and carrots outside. Now is the time to plant trees if you want to. Most species have bloomed early despite the cold and snowy winter. The heat wave we experienced in early April accelerated alll growth. Thank God it ended and we are back to more typical weather for this time of year. I started my tubers (cannas and dahlias) and am actually keeping them outside for now. Watch for frost if you want to keep your plants safe. Remember many tropical and sub-tropical plants react negatively to a 39 degree temperature rather than 32. This is because water is densist at 39 degrees which separates it from all other compounds. This is why water is a miracle. If it were more dense as a solid than a liquid the oceans, lakes, and rivers would freeze from the bottom up and all life on earth would have to be completely different.

The First Flowers Of Spring

Timothy Lawton — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 15:03:27 +0000

I have had the first flowers at my new home come up. Crocuses. The first fruits of my efforts last fall. The daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips shouldn’t be too far behind. Outside I planted peas on the 18th of March only one day behind schedule. We’ll have to see how the unusually warm and wet weather affected them. In the green houses I have planted many different types of seeds. Coleus, peppers, srtawflowers and tomatoes to name a few. Next week will be more tomatoes and marigolds of all sorts. I’m going super heavy on the marigolds this year because the deer don’t seem to like them. Yet, I’m still going to work with the plants they have been eating as well.

The Day America Died?

Timothy Lawton — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:18:56 +0000

The passage of this health care bill is a crime and those who voted for it are criminals. This assault on our Constitution is unconscionable. President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid are the equivalent of King George III. They are tyrants and this legislation is the most naked attempt in our nation’s history by the government to control our everyday lives. This socialist agenda must be stopped. These politicians are trying to destroy the system that this nation has enjoyed for over 200 years. We were not made the greatest country on earth with government handouts. This legislation is not about health care it is about changing the principles that this nation was founded upon.

Not only is the bill itself utterly flawed the manner in which it was passed was a travesty of justice as well. The bill is around 2700 pages long. It is filled with out and out bribes for specific legislators. And many of the people who voted for the bill never even read it. It is quite possible that the methods used to pass this monstrosity will be found unconstitutional as may many of the provisions in it. At least ten states have already announced intentions to challenge its legality. We do need health care reform, but this move towards socialism will only make things worse. If the Democrats were actually serious about bringing down costs then why are tort reform and allowing the sale of health insurance across state lines not included? Because this legislation is a means to enslave the American people to government entitlements.

The health care reform passed yesterday will have exactly the opposite effect that its proponents contend that it was supposed to accomplish. It will raise costs and diminish the quality of care. We will add tens of millions of people to our system and most likely lose many health care professionals. How many doctors will quit their jobs and go into other fields? How many young people will now decide to make their livings in other careers? Medical specialists will become a thing of the past. How many new medicines and treatments will be pioneered when there is no money to be made? This bill will also kill jobs and further burden our economy with unnecessary taxes. When has the government ever given us a reason to believe they will do anything other than increase costs and complicate the day to day operations of what they put their filthy hands into? Ever been to the motor vehicle bureaucracies across the country? Ever deal with the IRS?

Further more this bill will be completely unaffordable. It will drive private insurance out of business and that is exactly what the socialist Democrats want. We already have a Federal deficit that runs about $40,000 per person. That is not including existing entitlements in the future. How much more so will this add to that incredible burden we have already? Why are we following the failed socialist models of western Europe and states like California? They are all going bankrupt. The Europeans and Canadians health care has been propped up by higher costs here. There is no other country upon which to piggy-back our system. We were the last bastion of capitalist health care unless this bill is found unconstitutional or it is repealed in the future. Yet, by then it may be too late to undo what has been done.

I intend to study the provisions of this legislation to figure out exactly what I will do on a personal basis. Can I opt out of my health insurance plan pay the fine and make money? If insurers can’t turn away customers for pre-existing conditions should I just wait until I get sick and then buy health insurance? How many millions of Americans are thinking of the same things? The unintended, and covertly intended, consequences of this legislation will be myriad. This bill could very well be the death knell of the once great U.S.A.

Weather Disasters: Get Used To Them

Timothy Lawton — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:04:07 +0000

I have been an avid weather watcher for my whole life. Over the years my personal observations, of what has been around me and from reports around the world, have lead me to conclude that the climate will only continue to spiral out of control. The generally subdued weather and climate of the period from 1850 to 1990 is not the norm. The more extreme events that we have seen over the last two decades are far more likely to be typical earth climate. Since our societies have largely developed into the state that they are currently in during this tranquill episode we are not prepared to deal with the variability that our future climate presents. Regardless if mankind has an influence on this current uptick in extremes I believe it to be a natural occurrence.

Massive blizzards, extreme winds, and now flooding have been a hallmark of the 2009-2010 winter season over much of the eastern United States. Conversely much of the northwest of North America has had a rather warm and relatively snowless season. All over the world this is being repeated and it is occurring year after year. Whether it be droughts or floods, hot or cold, or prolonged periods of calm or extreme storms the climate is becoming far more erratic. Desert floods, fires in the rainforest, the European heat wave of 2003, and countless other events are showing us a world in transition. It seems that no place on this planet is being spared from these freakish examples of nature’s fury.

Yet, we must look at what this means for people as a whole. What does this foretell of the future? Can mankind adequately respond to a climate that challenges us on a nearly continuous basis? It is easy to sit in the industrialized world and simply dismiss what a more turbulent climate may mean for us, but that is very short sighted. First off the effects that will be visited upon us will eventually become an impediment to our every day existence, but before that the trials and tribulations that decimate the third world will visit their results upon our nations. Europe, the United States, Japan, and the rest of the first and second world will be overrun with the refugees from nature’s devastations. Thirsty and hungry people will not go quietly into that dark night while an arrogant, lazy, and spoiled people hold all that they need at their finger tips to stave off their impending doom.

The third world will be hit first, but the more technologically developed societies will not be far behind. The crops that we have cultivated are mostly hybrids bred for the traits that made them suitable to the climate of the past. Clean and reliable water will quickly disappear from much of the world. Massive crop failures will make it to the farm belts of the Northern hemisphere and probably to those of the south as well. Wars over the most basic materials such as water and food will naturally ensue. Malnutrition will lead to epidemics and pandemics and no corner of this globe will be immune. This applies to our livestock as well. Our precarious and comfortable position on this earth is about to take a turn for the worse. All of these natural disasters will only further stress the institutional problems that have been exposed over these last few years. On top of all of this the eco-systems upon which we depend will thrown into complete disarray. Forests will disappear, marine life will evaporate, and the cost of the most basic necessities will skyrocket.

What does all of this mean? What can we do? My primary concern is that we now have no leaders, for the most part, across this world. There are virtually no people who will stand up and take the tough measures which we need to address this coming series of crises. Planning for alternative means to generate agricultural and natural resources is paramount. Again, I must stress the impact that this will have on the populations of the third world. They will be first to endure these hardships, but they will quickly spread to the rest of the world. What are now weather anamolies and inconvieniences will become increasingly meaningful challenges to our very existence. We ignore them at our own peril!!!!