Idaho must have strong, competitive Democrats

Full Article

So I'm not too much for party politics--I'm always saying that I'll leave the Democrats for a third party or start my own--but I like this article. I like how it presents what "good" party politics might look like.

"A healthy state government in Idaho needs a healthy Idaho Democratic Party." - Travis Manning

"The more evenly balanced the parties become the safer it will be for us in the security of our liberties; and … our influence for good will be far greater than it possibly could be were either party overwhelmingly in the majority." - Wilford Woodruff

Funny Comic

Here's a good, quick read. Got it from Mormons For Obama facebook page, but I don't know who originally did it.

Saint Rabia Basri

This is a quote purportedly from a Muslim prophetess/mystic named Rabia from Basra. She said it when running through Basra with a pail of water and a lit torch and someone stopped and asked her what she was doing. She replied:

I want to put out the fires of Hell, and burn down the rewards of Paradise. They block the way to God. I do not want to worship from fear of punishment or for the promise of reward, but simply for the love of God.

This one is also hers:

O God! If I worship You for fear of Hell, burn me in Hell,and if I worship You in hope of Paradise, exclude me from Paradise.But if I worship You for Your Own sake, grudge me not Your everlasting Beauty.

I like her sentiment and wonder if we as a religious community are too focused on what we can get from doing good in this life. We talk a lot about the mansions prepared above or the glorious exaltation of the righteous and yes it can be very motivating. But should we not also do good things because they are good? And should we not worship God simply because He is God and not be concerned about what we will get from doing so?

New Research Subject

Every few weeks I go through a new research project which usually has something to do with some other project I'm working on. Last few weeks it's been WWII, particularly the Battle of France. Before that it was Mass Death which is a very fascinating subject (the Mongol Hordes killed almost a fifth of the world's population, not counting the possibility of having deliberately caused the Black Plague in Europe). This next little bit is going to be Patrice Lumumba. As he is a political figure, hopefully I'll get around to posting about what I think of his policies and ethics later and so far in the five minutes I've spent on him, I've been impressed. Plus, I like his name and--if I like both his policies and more importantly his ethics--maybe I'd name a kid after him. If my wife also approves, of course...

Happy Birthday, Barack Obama!

Happy Birthday to our President! Though I don't agree with everything that you believe in, I do believe that on a whole you've been good for our country and you have at least one person in Idaho right here that wants to thank you for the good you've done and wish you a happy year ahead.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd9xU8cw1JE