Before I get into a review of the blogs that I follow, let me say two things. First, yes, I am a charter member of the Domestic Terrorist Bloggers Network, but I am not a “terrorist” except in my own government’s eyes. And second, yesterday was “tax day” but it was also “tea party” day. There were eighteen listed events in the state of Arizona, with the largest being the gathering here at the capitol building in Phoenix. The paper says there were about 5,000 protesters in attendance; actual estimates put the number much, much higher, by at least a factor of three, but then the crowd wasn’t full of illegal immigrants demanding rights or lefties demanding money, so the estimators got thrown off. Obama and his Dem minions were not the only ones being protested; here in Arizona the governor, Jan Brewer (R), is planning on increasing taxes to cover the one BILLION dollar budget shortfall.

When TMBWitW and I run into a budget shortfall, we cut back on spending. Being simple minded, non-economic types, and certainly without years of experience in running a country (into the ground), we didn’t realize you could actually spend MORE than you BROUGHT IN and still call it good. We always thought that would eventually land you in the poor house, but hey – we don’t have Ivy-league educations, either. Oh, and we pay our taxes. Unlike certain cabinet appointees.

Were you aware that if you worked for the IRS and you tried to Geithner your return, you would be fired without ability to appeal? Don’t believe me? Check out the story in the April 15, 2009 Chicago Tribune: IRS workers see double standard on tax errors. Nothing to see there, folks – just the same double standard as always…

OK – Let’s get off the blood-pressure raising stuff and on to the reason you stopped in on this fine Thursday morning:

Tea Party Section! American and Proud – An Ol’ Broad’s Ramblings – ARRA News Service – Bloviating Zeppelin – Do The Right Thing – Gateway Pundit – Last Refuge of a Scoundrel – Monkey in the Middle – Oath Keepers – Political Pistachio – Samantha Speaks – Texas Fred – The Black Sphere – Third Wave Dave – An Obama Nation – Eject! Eject! Eject! – Seaspook

Spring looks to have sprung, and might stay that way, on Unalaska. Steve has the story on A Sense of Place. Amboy Times has added another item to The List of Things That Offend Muslims. No, I’m not on there. Yet. Jump over to Assoluta Tranquilita to sign the petition to get the State of Texas to prosecute the killers of DASY to the maximum extent of the law. Then take a much-needed relaxing break At The Water. Basti has another gathering of tidbits. GuyK has his usual charming slant on today’s happenings over at Charming, Just Charming. cookiecrumbexpress has some motivating items. As usual, Dumb Looks Still Free is well worth the time it takes to read through his essay. Jenn has news and tidbits over at Take A Stand Against Liberals.

Roger W. Gardner posts his thoughts on the current maelstrom on Maggie’s Notebook. Kathi has Wednesday’s Hero up on Mail Call! Supporting The Troops. Mary tells us about Randy Alcorn’s one favorite book on Mary’s World.

Texas Gets It Right.

Memories from Viet Nam, courtesy of Greybeard, on Pitchpull. The Supremacy of Everyman on RattlerGator. Texas Fred likes the idea of 49 states in the United States, and Then there is the Republic of Texas… Meanwhile, Arizona’s former governor is calling my and my friends “terrorists” – visit the BLOG for more. Chief Roland has some advice for pirates. Kris has a few thoughts on the disposition of those trying to import terrorism on This Is Stoke Newington. TJ thinks that Texas as a separate geopolitical entity would be a good idea too. Personally, I think Texas should annex Oklahoma and Arizona.

Hammer shares some hard-earned experience. Hey, learn from others’ mistakes – you won’t live long enough to make all your own! What happens when a sub-network tells the truth? Yid With Lid has the answer. For something totally different, how about a Bishop who is taking Notre Dame to task? See the letter on Bottom Line Up Front.

How about some April Fool’s Day irony? Follow the fun on Improv Everywhere.

Always good for reminding us who the real terrorists are – The Religion of Peace. Would you spend your day with someone who does nothing but spew negativity? Andrew Tallman wants to know.

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

1375 and a wake-up! No, wait – most of the country has already woke up, now we’re trying to get the rest of ya’ll to quit hittin’ the snooze alarm…

Oddly enough, the sun came up again today, disproving several doom-sayers with their predictions of the election outcome.

In case you were wondering, here were my predictions (better late than never, eh?):

1.    The Bible will still have all the answers.
2.    Prayer will still work.
3.    The Holy Spirit will still move.
4.    God will still inhabit the praises of His people.
5.    There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6.    There will still be singing of praise to God.
7.    God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
8.    There will still be room at the Cross.
9.    Jesus will still love you.
10.   Jesus will still save the lost.

So, I think I’m in pretty good shape, overall. Let’s get to the Round Up, shall we?

Special Mention:
Stop over at CPT Rob Yllescas and catch up on his condition. CPT Yllescas is the victim of an IED in Afghanistan and is currently stateside receiving the best care possible. Leave a note of encouragement for his wife, Dena.

Post Election Thoughts:
…from Gawfer, cookiecrumbexpress, Cyber Pastor, Johnny T. Helms, Amazed In His Presence, RattlerGator Blog, American and Proud, The Roland Blog, The Bull Speaks, Jenn’s Jungle, Bloviating Zeppelin, Political Pistachio, LimaLimaMikeFoxtrot, Pitchpull, The American Apologist, Autorotate’s Flying Circus, Dumb Looks Still Free, Amboy Times, Samantha West, The Loon, Some Things Just Need To Be Said, Third Wave Dave, Eject! Eject! Eject!, This Is Stoke Newington, EvolutionRight, Akinoluna, Fire of Liberty, prying1, An Obama Nation, The “Religion of Peace”, Bottom Line Up Front, ARRA News Service

Thinking Ahead of the Box:
GuyK

Michael Crichton:
the BLOG misses him already.

Burning Memories:
Blackfive and RG Roland show how to make a special moment stand out.

This Just In! Bias in the Media!
…and Sarah Palin wants to help remove it (reported on Gateway Pundit).

Find the Wednesday Hero at:
Old Soldier, Mail Call! Supporting the Troops

Travels and Travails
Ol’ Broad and Mr. O’l Broad made it there – finally!

Mixed Sports:
Target shooting and NASCAR on Texas Fred’s

Relax, Take a Break:
At The Water, A Sense Of Place, Lubbock Marine Parents

Moving On
Goodbye, House (tissue warning)

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, listen to The O Word on BlogTalkRadio, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

216

This week, I’m going to see if I can group like subjects together. Since I haven’t surfed before I started writing these, there’s no telling where this will lead… and no, Blogrolling still isn’t working right.

Just Vote!
ablur has a hard question for you.

Don’t Vote For Obama:
American Apologist has a top-ten list.
Improvement vs. Change on Gawfer.
Cube has a new Flag for the Obama campaign on the BLOG.
The LA Times brags it has a video, then won’t share it? Join Cyber Pastor as he asks them to open their vault.
Photographic proof that a certain camp was hoping wouldn’t be found on Gateway Pundit.
Under the sub-category of “How To Lessen the Impact” comes this sage advice to business owners from Ol’ Broad.
Best reason ever, on Amazed In His Presence.
Be afraid – be very afraid! Sure wish ALL the candidates had the money for the media coverage that Obama is getting. Besides this piece on American and Proud, if you have Dish Network check out channel 73 (for the last month)!
Jenn joins the call for the tape to be released.
Wealth Redistribution explained … on Bloviating Zeppelin.
Political Pistachio explains why Obama’s plan of wealth redistribution won’t work.
The Tanker of Love has a video up from the guy that a lot of conservatives think should have kept running.
Under the sub-category of “Nothing New Under The Sun” comes this video courtesy of Pitchpull.
Amboy Times adds to the arsenal of “Nobama ’08!”
Showing that the MSM is, indeed, “in the tank” for Obama is this lovely piece from Third Wave Dave.
His pictures are worth more than a thousand words. mdconservative^® – from the Conservative Intelligence Report.
The ARRA News Service reports the arrest of some get-out-the-vote fraudsters.

Bush Derangement Syndrome (or, Hate Kills):
cookiecrumbexpress has news about a HuffPo “reporter” and what constant hate-mongering can do to a person.

Military Precision:
Blackfive has a gorgeous sunrise picture filled with … aw, why spoil the surprise?
Chief Roland always has great pics of the military, and he’s not even biased towards any one branch.
This Marine epitomizes the “tough get going” part of the saying. Thanks to Samantha for sharing.
I can always count on the Loon for some Positive News.
Kathi has the Wednesday Hero up – well worth the time to stop and read!

No, We Didn’t Make This Up:
Small Chest ban on Vietnamese roads? Check it out on Old Soldier.
New Guidelines for an Old Problem on Texas Fred’s.
Autorotate’s Flying Circus shares some of Mutha’s – uhm, Murtha’s latest.

It Couldn’t Happen To A Nicer Guy (no, not another Obama category):
Seems Charming, Just Charming‘s GuyK was awarded a Superior Scribbler and has passed it all on to his links.

Doesn’t Fit Anywhere Else:
Richard has some good closeups of the loons on his lake, and then apologizes for the pictures being fuzzy. I must be losing focus, because they didn’t look fuzzy to me…
Unalaska Steve has his pumpkin carved.
Mary gives us the low-down on Scott Higginbotham, an author worth finding on the shelves…
Andrew Tallman has a Thought Of The Day about just where exactly to place your trust during this election cycle.
Have you been missing you fix of Dumb Looks? There’s a reason for it…
Amboy Times remembers 70 years ago today…
Good Ol’ Bill pimps for his Afterburner series. I cannot stress how worth your time this series is.
Mmmmm … tortillas!

Stopped Cold:
RattlerGator mourns the loss of Dean “Chowdah” Barnett.

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, listen to The O Word on BlogTalkRadio, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

218.5

Hard to believe that it’s been that long, and so much has changed.

I started out blogging on Blogspot just to put my family history in electronic form – that project is still in the works, as evidenced by the lack of progress behind the tab marked “The Wisconsin Cartters” at the top of this page.

Then I started a personal blog to take my rants off the family page. That led me to meet a wonderful bunch of people – most of them still hanging out on my blogroll, some of them having signed off, one or two having shed this mortal coil – but all of them worth reading and chatting with when I get the chance. Oh, sure – like any family, there are going to be instances where some members of my blog-family aren’t going to be getting along with other members, and that’s fine, we’re all human, and if we all got along all the time it would be downright boring.

I started out with two blogs, and ended up with this one when I merged them in April of 2008. Having my own domain and full control over the blog is a comfort to me, being the semi-control freak that I am, and I have to thank Texas Fred and Robert for their help with getting this site set up.

I don’t remember who the first batch of contacts I made was, perhaps the gang over at The Notebored, a writer’s workshop headed up by Dee and her wonderful circle of fellow writers. I tried my hand at some writing projects over there, but there was something – I don’t know, missing? – and I just never really fully clicked. They are very welcoming there on The Notebored, but I don’t think I was ready for primetime. I do know that once I ran into Gawfer I ran into the best bunch of people I could call friends and a great variety of “conservatives” – from absolute white hat to situational conservatives, you can find a bunch of them on the blogroll now. Like I said, we don’t all get along all of the time, but we always have a great conversation.

I found Bill Whittle, a former liberal who started reading and thinking for himself (proof, by the way, that it can happen) and then using his talents as a writer to put our thoughts to “paper” and let us all read it and realize that “Yes, by thunder, that is EXACTLY what I was trying to say!” I still read him, when he publishes in between his super-glam life on the west coast and the movie deals and the screenplays… In fact, one of my personal favorite entries for I’m Thinking of the “O” Word was inspired greatly by Bill’s writing; specifically, my entry titled The Sheep, The Sheepdogs, and the Wolves was written after I had read his entry titled Tribes. I think it’s still relevant.

My wife, whom I refer to as TMBWitW, gave birth to our child, MEG, on December 30, 2006. I ran a babypool of sorts, and Paul at prying1 came in second while Just John (who, at the time, was going by Gunny John) came the closest in guessing the day and time for the momentous occasion. MEG is growing and running around and keeping the dogs on their toes now – the cats are not sure what to make of this little rosy-cheeked beauty that wants to pet them all…

And then in January of 2007 I read this entry on Jenn’s blog, and it just didn’t sit right with me. I started my campaign. Without funding. Trying to get a groundswell of support and momentum for a run at the White House. Trying, and failing. My feelings haven’t changed, especially now that we are guaranteed a liberal in the Oval Office, and I am seeing more and more signs of a revolution brewing to take this country back into the conservative hands of We The People. I do, however, plan to take another run at it in 2012, when the people of this country should be good and fed up with the liberal actions of the president and want to get back to being a sovereign country with absolute borders and absolute laws.

Now I have a BlogTalkRadio show called, appropriately enough, The O Word. Be sure to tune in on Friday mornings at 0700 Mountain Standard Time.

One thing about having a blog, and meeting (on line, of course, except in rare instances where you actually get to meet the fine people you blog with in person) other blog-owners – you will never run out of people to meet, and people who you want to link to, and people who may want to link back to you. Of course, having all these links is one thing, but being able to keep the connection going is another. I don’t always get to read all my links every day, but I sure try to stop in at least once a week or so.

Most recently, I was asked to join the gang over at Reject the UN and help spread that word. I don’t know how often I will be able to contribute, but I will be doing what I can when I can.

One thing that hasn’t wavered since I’ve discovered it: Wear Red on Fridays. I’ve got some way cool shirts that help spread the word, and I know that when service members see my red shirt they know they are being supported, prayed for, worried about, and generally appreciated for what they are doing.

A lot has changed in three years. I am so happy to have met all of you, and hope that you feel the same about me. We may not see eye to eye, but unless you break my commenting rules and totally disregard common courtesy, you will be welcome here. I know that there are a lot more people out there who deserve to be mentioned, and I will, on this Friday’s show. I’m sorry if I didn’t specifically mention you, but know that I think of each one of you often. Either to wonder what you are up to, or why you haven’t written anything lately, or to berate myself for not getting over to your site and leaving a comment. Tell you what – would you do me a favor, and just click on the “All Blogrolls Here” tab up there, and read through everyone who is making a difference in the blogosphere? Stop in and tell them I said hi, and I’ll be by later to chat.

Thank you for stopping by, God bless you all, listen to The O Word on BlogTalkRadio, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

Well, since it’s rare that I get to post on Wednesday, I’m going to take advantage of the access to the computer.

I wanted to let you know that I’ve made another excellent addition to my blogroll: EvolutionRight, written by SoCalOilMan. The funny thing is, he sounds like I do. He also like Bill Whittle over at Eject! Eject! Eject!, so he’s all right in my book. SoCalOilMan showed up over on Texas Fred’s in one of the comment forums.

I won’t be on the computer tomorrow, since TMBWitW will be working from home tomorrow instead of today.

Whoops – scratch that. TMBWitW just called with the news that due to the ineffective use of time demonstrated by the corporate auditors, she gets to stay in the office instead.

Looks like I may have the computer tomorrow after all …

Thank you for stopping by, God bless you all, listen to The O Word on BlogTalkRadio, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!